Six individuals have beendetained in Florida for suspicion of fraud by using credit card information stolen from TJX. It is the first arrests connected with the theft of customer details from the company, which owns retail outlets including TJ Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods and A J Wright.

At least 10 people are suspected of using the customer data to buy huge numbers of gift cards at Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores throughout the state.

The suspects then redeemed the cards at other locations to secure high-ticket items such as computers, gaming devices, and big-screen TVs, according to ComputerWorld. Wal-Mart and the banks issuing the credit cards are still calculating the losses, but so far they total more than $8m.

Those arrested in the alleged scheme include Irving Escobar, 18; Reinier Camaraza Alvarez, 27; Julio Oscar Alberti, 33; Dianelly Hernandez, 19; Nair Zuleima Alvarez, 40; and Zenia Mercedes Llorente, 23. They are charged with felony scheme to defraud and had bonds set at $1 million each. ®