Crime & Safety

Thirsty Thieves Steal Thousands in Booze, Cops Claim

Stop & Shop reported thieves made off with nearly 30 bottles of liquor in separate shoplifting incidents.

Ridgewood detectives are looking to track down two men and one woman accused of stealing dozens of liquor bottles from Stop & Shop in separate incidents over the last week.

On May 5, the manager at Stop & Shop told police that two black males grabbed seven bottles of liquor, tossed them in grocery bags and hid them under their shirts before waltzing out without paying. Police said they left in a late model silver Nissan Altima. The total value of the theft was $599.60 and police say the two men are suspected of stealing liquor less than a week earlier at the Franklin Ave. grocery store.

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A day later, a Stop & Shop employee told police that a white female shoplifted 20 bottles of liquor on three separate occasions – April 23, April 27 and May 3. The total value of the loss was pegged at $874. According to police, security footage showed the woman waiting for the person behind the counter to leave their post, when she took the opportunity to stuff the bottles in her bag and bolt.

Surveillance footage was released Wednesday. Detectives are asking the public to assist them in identifying the accused shoplifters.

Find out what's happening in Ridgewood-Glen Rockwith free, real-time updates from Patch.


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