WAREHAM—Wareham Police have broken up a shoplifting ring and charged six individuals in connection with a string of thefts from the HomeGoods at Wareham Crossing that led to over $1,700 in merchandise stolen from the store.

During December of last year, several shoplifting thefts were reported by the management of Home Goods, located in the Wareham Crossing shopping complex.Reports of shoplifting incidents continued into January of 2017 and led to an investigation conducted by the WPD Detective Division. At least 10 separate incidents that occurred during the past two months were determined to be organized events and connected to a certain group of males residing in the Wareham area.

During investigation of the theft incidents and through the cooperation of Home Goods store management, WPD detectives learned that store items were being stolen from the store by the involved males, handed off to other participating males, then returned to the store for store credit and or reimbursement in the form of store gift cards. The gift cards were then sold on the street or to local pawn shops for less than store value for profit to the thieves. During the documented incidents, over $1,700 in merchandise was stolen from the store by the organized group.

Arrest warrants were obtained for six individuals, all residents of Wareham, who have been criminally charged with Larceny Over $250 by Scheme and Conspiracy.

On Monday and Tuesday, WPD detectives and patrol officers arrested four of the six involved individuals on the warrants, while one other male is currently being sought. The sixth involved male is currently incarcerated as a result of being held pending further court procedures related to charges stemming from a stolen property case investigated by WPD last week.

The four males arrested in this case are listed as: Michael Pardi, 26; Richard St. George, 30; David Dankers, Jr., 30; and Antone Mello, 45. Brandon Pratt, 24, is currently being held on previous unrelated theft charges, and will face further criminal charges as a result of this investigation.

Wareham detectives are still actively searching for the last involved individual, Robert Oliveira, Jr., 36. They ask that anyone with information on his whereabouts call Wareham Police at (508) 295-1212, or the Detective Division at (508) 295-1206.

--Wareham Police Department

 

 

More From WBSM-AM/AM 1420