Man tied to multimillion dollar thefts of AV equipment across several states arrested in Atlanta

ATLANTA — Channel 2 Action News has learned that there has been a major arrest in a multimillion-dollar crime ring that was targeting audio and visual rental companies across the country, including right here in metro Atlanta.

One metro company says the thieves stole more than $24,000 in equipment from them.

The owner of Music Matters in Gwinnett County declined to go on camera but told Channel 2′s Michael Seiden that when he saw surveillance photos from a separate incident, he knew it was the same guy who ripped him off.

From California to Georgia, the thieves have been targeting audio and visual equipment rental companies since the beginning of the pandemic

Forrest Groz is a small business owner in Las Vegas.

“By the time that they hit us, I found like 12 other companies that they had hit,” Groz said. “There’s no doubt in my mind that it’s all the same people.”

In 2020, the men and women seen on surveillance video used fake IDs and stolen credit cards to rent more than $60,000 in equipment for a live-streaming event.

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Investigators say it was all part of a scheme.

Days later, Groz would find his stolen items listed for sale on eBay, but when he tried to get help from the police.

“It was sad, because every time I’d find them, three different states, the ball would be dropped,” Groz said.

But now there appears to be a break in the case

On Tuesday, Channel 2 Action News confirmed the arrest of 31-year-old Christopher Windsor.

Atlanta police say he’s accused of ripping off two metro Atlanta companies, including Music Matters in Peachtree Corners.

“He’s definitely one of the suspects in multiple pictures and images from all these other companies that were hit,” Groz said.

Seiden also learned that Windsor was charged with similar crimes in Pennsylvania, but according to court documents a judge ordered him to serve 7 years on probation after he struck a plea deal with prosecutors.

Seiden contacted the FBI about the case, but a spokesperson said it’s the FBI’s standard practice to neither confirm nor deny the existence of investigations.

Several victims told Seiden they have been in contact with federal investigators.

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