After weeks of warnings of gift card tampering and fraud around the country and in Rhode Island, it struck at home on Jan. 4.

An employee of the CVS at 400 Metacom Ave. noticed a man acting suspiciously at the gift card rack and alerted Corporate Security, which approached the suspect. The man fled on food, the police were called, and an eyewitness reported that the suspect fled north through the CVS parking lot, followed by another man in a white vehicle.

Bristol Police soon found the vehicle on a nearby street, containing several boxes of gift cards. The operator of the vehicle, Li Wei, 36, of Elmhurst, N.Y., was taken to police headquarters, along with CVS security video of the fleeing male suspect.

Ultimately, Bristol Police and Special Agents from Homeland Security seized over 3,200 assorted gift cards, while locating and identifying the second suspect, Li Shanhua, 48, of Flushing, N.Y.

Shanhua and Li art both charged with obtaining money under false pretenses and conspiracy. They were arraigned in Sixth District Court on Jan. 5. Li was held on $5,000 surety and Shanhua was held on $10,000 surety; further charges are pending.