Crime & Safety

Shoplifting Suspects Collared by Lawrence Police

Two men - one of whom allegedly tried to run from officers - were charged with shoplifting several hundred dollars worth of cosmetics from CVS Pharmacy, police said.

Two men who allegedly stole several hundred dollars worth of cosmetics from a pharmacy in Lawrence Township were arrested Wednesday afternoon (Sept. 7). One of the men allegedly tried to run from police officers but was quickly apprehended.

Lt. Charles Edgar, spokesman for Lawrence Township Police Department, said police received a tip about 2:05 p.m. about a suspicious vehicle parked on Valley Forge Avenue, near the CVS Pharmacy in the 1900 block of Brunswick Pike (Business Route 1).

Several shopliftings have taken place at the CVS in recent months, so several officers responded to the area, he said.

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When police arrived, they found Sirdarius Law, 21, of the 100 block of Frasier Street, Trenton, sitting in the driver’s seat of the vehicle, a 2004 Chevrolet, Edgar said. While officers were interviewing Law, he said, another man exited the CVS and started walking toward the vehicle.

Officers ordered that man – Kyle L. Martin, 32, also of the 100 block of Frasier Street, Trenton – to come over to them but he instead turned and ran back toward the CVS, Edgar said. He said officers gave chase and soon caught up with Martin, and detained him for questioning.

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Edgar said about $131 worth of various cosmetics that had been stolen from the CVS were found on Martin’s person and another $199 worth of stolen cosmetics were found where Martin had been seen tossing something into a trash bin while he was running from the officers.

Still more stolen cosmetics – worth a total of $623 – were discovered in the 2004 Chevrolet, Edgar said, but he noted that police are not yet sure if those items were stolen from the CVS on Brunswick Pike or from another store.

Martin was charged with shoplifting and obstruction, while Law was charged with shoplifting, Edgar said.

He said the investigation is continuing and police are working to determine if either of the men played a role in any of the other recent shopliftings at the pharmacy.

Among those taking part in the arrest were Police Officers Jim Vardanega, Erini Papafilipakis, Richard Laird III and Shaun Sexton; Sgt. Chris Longo; Detective Sgt. Joseph Amodio; and Detective Robert Potter.


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