In what reads like a plot taken straight out of a crime drama, a family-owned butcher shop in North Andover, Massachusetts, has been financially gutted this holiday season after scammers executed a particularly cruel con; they slipped away with $62,000 worth of meat under the pretense of feeding the homeless. According to Boston 25 News, the fraudulent transactions took place just before Christmas as the swindlers clothed their intentions in charity, convincing Roberto Alonzo, owner of Eva’s Farm Butcher Shop, that they aimed to support local shelters and homeless people during the holidays.
Alonzo, whose hospitality to the deceit was deepened by the festive spirit, experienced betrayal at the hands of the alleged criminals who used a stolen credit card to carry out their purchases, causing the shop not only the initial $62,500 loss but also an additional $20,000 in legitimate credit transactions now frozen due to ongoing investigations, a process that could stretch for months and has already placed the family enterprise in a tenuous financial flux, but the Alonzo family refuses to yield easily to these adverse tides. "My only thought the first time was, we were doing the right thing," Roberto Alonzo lamented in a statement obtained by Boston 25 News; the same publication also reports that the North Andover Police is investigating the alleged fraud.
In an effort to claw back from their "devastating loss," as described by Alonzo, Eva's Farm Butcher Shop has launched a GoFundMe page which, as of last Thursday, had raised over $7,000. Alonzo openly admits to the financial strain this incident has placed on his family and business, with rent payments lagging behind, "It’s horrible. I’m behind on my rent," he told Boston.com. The North Andover Police, on the topic of the investigation into the incident, stated that tracing the perpetrator would be "near impossible," added that the suspect may have traveled to New Jersey, and that the crime may not meet the necessary bar for extradition back to Massachusetts, all according to emails provided to Boston.com.
Amidst the ongoing investigation and financial challenges, the Alonzos have made a plea to the community to shop at their store, which not only sells quality meats but also offers produce, beer, and wine; they hope that local patronage could help mitigate the financial wound left by the scam. Detective Lieutenant Michael J. Davis of the North Andover Police mentioned that they are "pursuing all leads" in correspondence with Boston.com.
