Law enforcement recently captured two men accused of shoplifting from multiple Home Depot stores throughout Passaic County, including Paterson, Clifton, Passaic, and Totowa.
The suspects include a Garfield resident and a Paterson resident. According to authorities, the suspects started their theft spree on December 13 when they robbed the Home Depot located in Paterson, New Jersey. The suspects allegedly stole expensive drill sets and then exited the building by running through a fire door.
Over the next two months, the suspects allegedly committed similar thefts of power tools at Home Depots located across Passaic County, NJ.
The Passaic County Sheriff s Office Criminal Investigation Division investigated the theft incidents and obtained surveillance video footage. Police eventually located and arrested the suspects in Passaic, where they were reportedly in the middle of robbing another Home Depot store.
When the suspects were apprehended, police allegedly found them in possession of glassine envelopes filled with heroin. Authorities believe that the suspects were committing the theft crimes in order to finance their drug addictions.
Both men have been charged with several counts of shoplifting. Based on the total value of the items allegedly stolen in the thefts, the shoplifting charges have been classified as third degree felonies. This means that the suspects would be subject to a penalty of 3-5 years in NJ State Prison if they are ultimately convicted.
After being placed under arrest and processed, the suspects were released from police custody with a pending court date.
For more information about this case, see the NJ.com article, “These 2 Preyed on Home Depots to Fuel Heroin Habit, Police Say.”
