Watertown Police arrested a man and woman, and one of their children after they were caught trying to take three carts full of merchandise from Target. They discovered it was not their first time doing so.
The couple, a 47-year-old man and a 43-year-old woman, were caught along with their two children, ages 14 and 10.
“Target security observed three individuals push two shopping carts full of merchandise out of the store with out paying,” O’Connor said. “Security reported they had seen them in the store with a female.”
All four were detained, and a third cart full of merchandise was found next to the vehicle they were using, O’Connor said.
“They were all involved in filling up the carts,” O’Connor said. “Security believed that the 47-year-old male served as lookout as the 43-year-old woman and the juveniles filled the carts.”
One cart was filled with $220.55 in items, a second had $213.38 worth of merchandise inside, and the third one contained $434.90 of merchandise.
Security recognized the adults from previous incidents at the store. On Sept. 25, 2018, they stole $221.39 worth of items, and on Oct. 22, 2018, $248.89 in merchandise was taken, O’Connor said.
Officers believed the 14-year-old girl was older than she said, but could not prove she was older, O’Connor said.
Watertown Police summonsed the 47-year-old man from Dorchester and the 43-year-old woman from Dorchester to Waltham District Court for identical sets of charges: two counts of conspiracy to commit a crime, one count of larceny under $1,200, and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
The 14-year-old girl was summonsed to court on charges of conspiracy to commit a crime and larceny under $1,200.
The 10 year old could not be charged, because State Law prohibits children under 12 from being charged with a crime, O’Connor said. Police contacted the state Department of Children & Family (DCF) about the incident.
Watertown Police do not release the names of people who have been summonsed to court.
Why does Target have so many shoplifting incidents! It’s incredible and it does not bode well for Arsenal Yards if continued. Many attempts are foiled but how many succeed? It is a strange dilemma and needs to be solved.
It is not a strange dilemma…people steal. Why do you think prices are so high in stores?
Infiltration look around next tune you shop there I would be interested in knowing if The “accused” we’re legal citizens ? And why do WPD post names and addresses of all duis ? But not other crimes ,?
The Watertown Police do post names of all crimes. The exception is domestic incidents. In this case, it was not an arrest, and they do not release names of the suspects because they were summonsed. Technically they face the same charges as if they were arrested, but they were not arrested, i.e. taken to the station and booked.
A mother, father & daughter come all the way to Watertown from Dorchester to steal from Target and not for the first time. Lovely “family”. I’ll wager that they will claim that it’s not their fault but rather “society is to blame”.
Someone is not watching the cameras or not trained what to look for properly
They should have shopped on the east side of the Watertown town line and stayed in Suffolk County where the newly elected Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins has shoplifting as one of her 15 “no-prosecute’’ offenses. Total insanity has become the new normal!
Charges for which the Default is to Decline Prosecuting (unless supervisor permission is obtained).
• Trespassing
• Shoplifting (including offenses that are essentially shoplifting but charged as larceny)
• Larceny under $250
• Disorderly conduct
• Disturbing the peace
• Receiving stolen property
• Minor driving offenses, including operating with a suspend or revoked license
• Breaking and entering — where it is into a vacant property or where it is for the purpose of sleeping or seeking refuge from the cold and there is no actual damage to property
• Wanton or malicious destruction of property
• Threats – excluding domestic violence
• Minor in possession of alcohol
• Drug possession
• Drug possession with intent to distribute
• A stand alone resisting arrest charge, i.e. cases where a person is charged with resisting arrest and that is the only charge
• A resisting arrest charge combined with only charges that all fall under the list of charges to decline to prosecute, e.g. resisting arrest charge combined only with a trespassing charge
It has been happening for 40 yrs they come from Dorchester, Mattapan because Watertown is an easy target (no pun intended). It’s so rampant security can’t keep up, then you add there are no consequences for being caught it just too easy. DA Rachael Rollins no-prosecute list https://www.bostonherald.com/2019/04/04/baker-team-slams-da-rachael-rollins-no-prosecute-list-new-memo/
TARGET needs to target the DA I assume. This is outrageous. I think they need to up their strategy (Target) and go on the offense not defense!
An FYI, we are in Middlesex County, not Suffolk, so the non-prosecutions are not happening in Watertown. But Boston, over the Arsenal St. Bridege, is Suffolk