Published On: Thu, Apr 3rd, 2014

Mall Kiosk Owner Arrested in Knock-off Cartier Jewelry Bust

BRT SinghBy Jason Schwartz

A Coconut Creek jewelry kiosk owner was arrested Thursday at Town Center Mall after undercover officers bought knockoff brand name jewelry from her business, police said.

Hina Singh, 38, who operates the Tressor and Silver Connection kiosks at the mall, was charged with selling counterfeit goods valued at more than $20,000.

An undercover investigator with A Action Investigations and Security Inc. went to the jewelry kiosk and bought a replica Cartier Juste Un Clou nail bracelet for $69 plus tax, Boca Raton police said. A real Cartier would have cost $6,850.

Authorities said that Singh was ordered to stop selling counterfeit Cartier items in June 2013 and Chanel in 2011. The investigator, Eric Berger, told police the sales had continued “under the counter” and asked for their help.

Two undercover investigators from A Action Investigations went to the Silver Connection and bought a Cartier bracelet, which was confirmed to be counterfeit. They also photographed several plastic bags, which had Cartier jewelry.

Police got a search warrant on Singh’s kiosk, called her to the mall and questioned her. She was then arrested.

Singh said she stored multiple boxes labeled as “Do Not Sell,” underneath her kiosk. But an employee who was working the kiosk sold items from one of those boxes while Singh was on vacation in Panama.

“All of this happened to me because of one bracelet that an employee sold while I wasn’t there,” Singh said.

Singh said her employee told officers she wasn’t going to sell the bracelet to them, but after officers told her they were friends of Singh’s and that they had bought bracelets before, the employee gave in.

Singh admitted she should have removed the items from the kiosk after receiving cease and desist letter from the attorneys representing Cartier.

“I can’t just throw away merchandise,” she said. “I don’t have the heart to throw it away … That’s my fault, it should not be sitting there.”

Police have not charged the employee.

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