CONVENIENCE STORE CLERK INDICTED FOR THEFT OF STOLEN WINNING LOTTERY TICKET

Posted on 10/9/2013

Defendant: Christopher Collmer

    Prosecutor Ron O’Brien announced today that the Franklin County Grand Jury has returned an indictment against Christopher N. Collmer, age 33, for his alleged involvement in the theft of what he believed to be a $10,000 winning lottery ticket presented for verification at the Smoke and Shop store located at 2421 Sullivant Avenue in Columbus.  On September 25, 2013 the Ohio Lottery Commission conducted a compliance check at the store, which involves an investigator posing as a customer and presenting the clerk with a winning lottery ticket and asking the clerk to check to see if it is a winner.  The investigator then waits to see if the clerk will properly identify the ticket as a winner or attempts to steal the ticket. Collmer said that the ticket was not a winner and the investigators left the store.  Later that afternoon, Collmer’s girlfriend presented the ticket at the Columbus Regional Lottery Office and filed a claim on it for the $10,000 winnings.  Collmer has been indicted for one count (F-4) Theft.  Arraignment is set for Wednesday, October 23rd, 2013 at 1:30 pm in courtroom 2B at 345 S. High Street.