Staff Report

NAPPANEE — A woman with addresses listed in both Bremen and Nappanee was arrested after she allegedly fraudulently obtained $20,000 worth of eyeglasses from an online retail company.

Charlotte Raab

Charlotte Megan Raab, 33, 124 E. Plymouth 1/2 B, Bremen, is charged with theft, a level 6 felony. 

According to the affidavit of probable cause, on Feb. 25, 2019, the Nappanee Police Department received a complaint from a loss prevention investigator employed by Warby Parker Inc.

The loss prevention investigator said Raab fraudulently obtained approximately $20,000 worth of designer eyeglass frames from Warby Parker. The loss prevention investigator claimed that Raab was selling the frames online through two sales sites, poshmark.com and depop.com.

Warby Parker delivers a package of five eyeglass frames via the United States Postal Service to a potential buyer’s address. The potential buyer then returns any frames he or she does not wish to purchase and is charged to a credit card they have placed on file with Warby Parker for any frames they do keep. 

The frames average $100 each. The potential buyer is charged for all five pairs of frames if none are returned to Warby Parker within a specified amount of time. 

The loss prevention officer said that Warby Parker sent approximately $20,000 worth of frames to Raab between Nov. 8, 2018, and Jan. 20,  2019. Raab had reportedly provided multiple false email addresses and credit card numbers for the company’s home delivery program. 

Raab then sold the frames online. Warby Parker does not sell frames through a third party.

Warby Parker became aware of the theft after a poshmark.com customer flagged one of Raab’s postings as suspicious. Warby Parker sent multiple emails requesting she return the frames she had ordered. They charged her multiple credit, debit and gift cards on file after the frames were not returned. All card numbers provided by Raab were declined and the company was unable to collect the value of the frames kept by Raab.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, a Nappanee police officer spoke with Raab. When questioned about the eyeglass frames, Raab reportedly said, “Yeah, I did that,” and said it got out of hand. 

Raab was booked at the Kosciusko County Jail Sept. 17, 2020, on a $5,250 surety and cash bond.