L to R Ashley Fitzpatrick, 25, Anthony Francois, 23, Daquan Blount, 25, Cleotilda Durant-Davis, 46 -all of Brooklyn, NYNewark – On Friday August 19, 2017, an officer was on routine patrol in the College Square Shopping Center when he was waived down by a loss prevention employee at the Acme Supermarket, according to Sergeant Gerald Bryda.
Bryda said this employee told the officer that they were notified that the Acme in Suburban Plaza was recently the victim of a shoplifting. The employee believed that the same suspects were now in the College Square store, said Byrda.
A vehicle containing three of the four suspects drove out of the shopping center, according to Bryda. The officer was able to follow the vehicle and conduct a traffic stop. A search of the vehicle revealed a large amount of over the counter medications which were traced back to both Acme stores, said Byrda.
In all, $1,248 of over the counter medication was recovered, added Byrda.
The fourth suspect was taken into custody at the Amtrak Station in Wilmington by Amtrak Police after acting suspiciously and abandoning a bag, which contained over the counter medications from the two Newark Acmes, according to Byrda.
All four were charged with Theft-Organized Retail Crime, Shoplifting Under $1,500, Possession of Shoplifting Tools and Conspiracy 3rd Degree.
The four defendants were arraigned through JP Court #11 and issued $2,000 to $4,000 secured bail. All four were transported to respective Department of Correction facilities in lieu of bail, said Byrda.
Image Credits: Newark Police
