NC police seek cleaner who left with customers’ clothes
In Mooresville, local police believe the owner of Dry Cleaning Station may have
left town and taken her customer’s clothes and credit card information along with her.
Cleaner Ana Maria Calderon-Melendez posted a “relocating” sign on her business last May and then subsequently closed up shop and
disappeared, leaving only empty clothing racks behind.
“Whatever clothing was in the possession of the drycleaner at the time of the
closing was taken (by Calderon-Melendez),” said local Detective Kevin Cowan in an interview with the Mooresville Tribune.
In addition to taking the clothes, police also believe she is still making
charges on her former customers’ credit cards. A few have reported charges on their credit cards long after the
business closed up.
According to Det. Cowan, Calderon-Melendez was in substantial debt at the time
she disappeared. She also may have committed a similar crime in Florida over a
decade ago: she’s currently wanted in the state on more than 50 counts, including grand theft
and organized fraud.
For now, she has yet to be officially charged in North Carolina because,
according to state law, police must know where a crime is taking place.
Calderon-Melendez has been careful to cover her tracks.
“Everything as far as an investigation hinges on where the (suspect) is,” Det. Cowan said.
Despite setbacks, the detective is still following leads through the credit card
fraud victims’ banks. When a charge is made on one of the cards, the banks have noted that the
money is being sent to a business in either Huntersville or Mooresville. Both
businesses are fraudulent.
Police are seeking any information regarding the whereabouts or activities of
Calderon-Melendez and will be taking calls on the case via its Crimestoppers
phone line at (704) 658-9056.
Dry Cleaning Station customers who wish to report fraudulent charges from the
company on their credit cards have been encouraged to call Det. Cowan at (704)
664-3311.
SEFA enlists Zellers for seminar in SC
The South Eastern Fabricare Association will host a seminar on “Handling Specialty Garments” on Saturday and Sunday, March 21 and 22.
The class will be taught by industry expert Jane Zellers at Ed Robinson Laundry
and Dry Cleaners, located at 2551 Forest Dr. in Columbia, SC.
Attendees will meet from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. on both days. Lunch will be
provided.
Zellers will offer instruction on how to successfully clean, restore, preserve
and package speciality cleaning items.
Cleaners are encouraged to bring one of the following items to be cleaned in
class: Christening dress/gown; doll clothing; vintage gown; prom or evening
gown; wedding gown; fragile beaded/trimmed item; vintage quilt; or a military
uniform.
Those who wish to package the item upon finishing should bring along packing
materials such as preservation boxes.
All garments will be the sole responsibility of the student who brings them to
the class.
Tuition is $199 for members and $260 for non-members. For more information, call
the SEFA office at (877) 707-7332 or visit www.sefa.org.
