Clifton PD: Handyman Went On $10,000 Spree With Dead Man's Credit Card

CLIFTON, N.J. -- A maintenance worker from Elmwood Park went on a $10,000 shopping spree with credit cards he stole from a dead Clifton man's apartment, police said.

Carl Melicz
Photo Credit: *MUGSHOT: Courtesy CLIFTON PD*

Jerry DeMarco

05/09/2017 12:19 p.m.

The Richfield Village Apartments tenant died on New Year's Day, Lt. Robert Bracken said.

An executor assigned in March discovered that the dead man's debit card was used for 87 purchases over nearly a month (beginning in February) in Clifton, Garfield, Paterson, Westwood, Woodland Park and Bloomfield, Bracken said.

Detective Michael Davey followed the paper trail and other leads and soon identified 58-year-old Carl Melicz, who works at the complex, the lieutenant said.

Police arrested Melicz at his job and charged him burglary, credit card theft and fraudulent use of a credit card.

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