Get Our Email Newsletter

Shoplifter Who Said He Was Armed Arrested After Fleeing

A man was nabbed after cops alleged he stole from a business and then fled police. Around 12:50 PM Tuesday, Falls Township police were alerted by loss prevention staff at the Home Depot on Commerce Boulevard that a person was leaving the store with a cart full of merchandise without paying, according to court papers.

A loss prevention staffer told Corporal Victoria Crosier that the suspect touched his right hip with his hand when the employee advised the man to stop. He then allegedly said: “Leave me alone. I have a gun.”

The officer found suspect – identified as Rafael Romeo Rivera, 43, of Bayonne, New Jersey – as he loaded his car. He then sped away in his Saturn through the busy shopping center, causing pedestrians to “take evasive action,” police said.

- Digital Partner -

Rivera drove through the busy connecting shopping center and ended up getting caught in an area of the parking lot with only one exit and a surrounding high curb, police said.

“[Rivera] made several excited utterances where he admitted the retail theft at the store, police said.

In court documents, police said Rivera stole a table saw, nail gun, two tubs of Tide pods, and a bottle of fabric softener. Rivera does not have a license and two previous convictions for retail theft, police said.

Rivera was charged with robbery, retail theft, receiving stolen property, reckless endangerment, fleeing or attempting to elude police, driving without a license, reckless driving, and careless driving. He was arraigned by District Judge Jan Vislosky and jailed on 10 percent of $100,000 bail…   Levittown Now

Loss Prevention Magazine updates delivered to your inbox

Get the free daily newsletter read by thousands of loss prevention professionals, security, and retail management from the store level to the c-suite.

What's New

Digital Partners

Become a Digital Partner

Violence in the Workplace

Download this 34-page special report from Loss Prevention Magazine about types and frequency of violent incidents, impacts on employees and customers, effectiveness of tools and training, and much more.

Webinars

View All | Sponsor a Webinar

Whitepapers

View All | Submit a Whitepaper

LP Solutions

View All | Submit Your Content

Loss Prevention Media Logo

Stay up-to-date with our free email newsletter

The trusted newsletter for loss prevention professionals, security and retail management. Get the latest news, best practices, technology updates, management tips, career opportunities and more.

No, thank you.

View our privacy policy.