Carlos Mayta, 30, of Jersey City

Arturo Vasquez, 30, of Union City

By Alexis Tarrazi
Senior Reporter

CARLSTADT  (June 1, 2009, 2:15 p.m.) — Crime doesn’t pay … but does it smell good? Two employees of Carlstadt-based Gale Network Company were arrested after a global tracking device allegedly linked them to the theft of more than $11,000 worth of perfume and cologne.

Carlstadt police officials arrested 30-year-olds Carlos Mayta, of Jersey City, and Arturo Vasquez, of Union City, Friday, May 29, for theft of movable property. Mayta was also charged with receiving stolen property. Both charges are third-degree offenses.

The alleged scheme unraveled when the president/chief executive officer of Gale Network — located at 100 Kero Road in Carlstadt — discovered that Creed cologne and perfume had been disappearing from his inventory for roughly one year.

Founded in 1760 and based in Paris, Creed is the world’s only privately held luxury fragrance company.

The discovery came about when Neiman Marcus, which eventually attached global tracking devices to random bottles of Creed, reported a loss in their inventory.

On May 27, one of the trackers deviated from its original shipping route, and was ultimately traced to a residential address in Jersey City, where Mayta was found to be in possession of 17 bottles of Creed.

Through an interview with Mayta, Carlstadt officials found Vasquez, who allegedly admitted to stealing 30 additional bottles of Creed cologne.

Vasquez was transported to Hudson County Jail on $5,000 bail and is also being held by U.S. Immigration Services. Mayta was transported to Bergen County Jail on $7,500 bail and is also on an immigration hold.

Carlstadt Police Detective John Cleary said that the situation is still under investigation as more people may be involved.