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http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/0304/25tickets.html
Man accused of stealing to boost lottery odds
By ERIC STIRGUS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 03/24/04
When it came to scratch-off lottery tickets, Marcel L. Cook was lucky.
Too lucky, police say.
Sure, Cook had won some money from the lottery (police aren't sure of the exact amount), but then again, the odds were in his favor.
That's because he had thousands of scratch-off lottery tickets at his disposal --tickets, police say, that had been stolen.
Since Feb
2, Cook is accused of breaking into four convenience stores in Henry County. He didn't steal any money or anything else, only the lottery tickets, police say.
He then cashed in the winning scra
tch-
off lottery tickets at another store.
Shortly after midnight Tuesda
y, Cook's luck ran out.
That's when police spotted three suspicious men outside the Dixie Pawn & Gun Shop on Veterans Memorial Highway in Mableton.
The men, Cobb County police say, had a wire cutter, screw drivers, a wrench and masks.
Cook, 28, of Riverdale; Martavious Reid, 19, of Atlanta; and Derod E. Wilson, 20, of Atlanta were arrested on charges of possession of burglary tools and loitering/prowling.
All three are being held in the Cobb County Jail on $7,500 bond.
In addition to the Henry County burglaries, Cook is suspected of stealing scratch-off lottery tickets from stores in DeKalb and Fulton counties, and the city of Gainesville.
Staff w
riter Don Plummer contributed to this article.
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/0304/25tickets.html
Man accused of stealing to boost lottery odds
By ERIC STIRGUS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 03/24/04
When it came to scratch-off lottery tickets, Marcel L. Cook was lucky.
Too lucky, police say.
Sure, Cook had won some money from the lottery (police aren't sure of the exact amount), but then again, the odds were in his favor.
That's because he had thousands of scratch-off lottery tickets at his disposal --tickets, police say, that had been stolen.
Since Feb
2, Cook is accused of breaking into four convenience stores in Henry County. He didn't steal any money or anything else, only the lottery tickets, police say.
He then cashed in the winning scra
tch-
off lottery tickets at another store.
Shortly after midnight Tuesda
y, Cook's luck ran out.
That's when police spotted three suspicious men outside the Dixie Pawn & Gun Shop on Veterans Memorial Highway in Mableton.
The men, Cobb County police say, had a wire cutter, screw drivers, a wrench and masks.
Cook, 28, of Riverdale; Martavious Reid, 19, of Atlanta; and Derod E. Wilson, 20, of Atlanta were arrested on charges of possession of burglary tools and loitering/prowling.
All three are being held in the Cobb County Jail on $7,500 bond.
In addition to the Henry County burglaries, Cook is suspected of stealing scratch-off lottery tickets from stores in DeKalb and Fulton counties, and the city of Gainesville.
Staff w
riter Don Plummer contributed to this article.