Man charged in GTA scratch lottery ticket fraud: OPP

A 44-year-old man from Pickering has been charged after police say he scratched lottery tickets and placed them back in displays, all without stores noticing.

OPP say the investigation was launched in October after individuals across the Greater Toronto Area began reporting that tickets they had purchased had already been scratched.

Detectives discovered that tickets at multiple locations were being tampered with and placed back into displays without the knowledge of store clerks.

Last Wednesday, officers arrested Stephen Michael Dea and charged him with four counts of fraud under $5,000 and four counts of theft under $5,000.

Police say the accused was not an employee at any of the affected retail outlets.

Dea has been released from custody and is scheduled to appear in court in February.

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