Atlanta Braves fans appreciate the art of the steal. But this is not it.
The Braves say a man used bad checks to scam them out of $76,000 worth of tickets.
James Lally brought 16 sets of season tickets – or 1,300 tickets -- from the team, but never paid for them. He then sold the tickets to fans at a local bar and on craigslist.com.
“He comes from the heart and he comes straight at you,” victim David Accomando told Channel 2 Action News. “And you think he’s real.”
Lally bounced the five checks he wrote to pay for the tickets. The Braves have deactivated the tickets, but they have no idea who has them or how many Lally sold.
Police will be able to ask Lally though. He was arrested in Atlanta and made his first court appearance Saturday.
Lally, 36, allegedly pulled the same stunt in Florida. He is accused of selling nonexistent Daytona 500 tickets and bouncing $4,000 in checks to a children’s golf charity.
Police say Lally told his victims that he is related to and worked for former NASCAR driver and metro Atlanta resident Andy Lally.
The NASCAR driver says that is not true.