Police arrest 2 in Huntington Beach e-bike fraud case

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. — Two people were arrested after a Huntington Beach bike shop helped police uncover an alleged fraudulent purchase of five e-bikes worth more than $8,000, ABC7 Los Angeles reported.

The case highlights how local businesses can play a role in stopping fraud before goods leave the store, with Huntington Beach police saying employees flagged the order and contacted authorities.

Employees at Jax Bicycle Center became suspicious of an unusually large order and took extra steps to verify the credit card used for the purchase, according to ABC7 Los Angeles.

The order involved five e-bikes valued at more than $8,000, ABC7 reported. After the shop determined the card was fraudulent, employees notified Huntington Beach police.

Police staged at the pickup location and arrested the suspects when they arrived in person to collect the bikes, according to ABC7.

Investigators said they found additional evidence of identity theft and burglary tools in the suspects' vehicle, ABC7 reported.

Vesna Chan was charged with burglary, conspiracy to commit crime and possession of burglary tools, according to ABC7. John Nguyen faced charges including forgery, obtaining money by false pretenses, possession of bad checks, burglary, fraud, conspiracy, possession of burglary tools and mail theft.

Police said the arrests came before the bikes were released to the suspects, according to ABC7.