Three men were charged Wednesday with stealing some $5,000 worth of merchandise from the Wal-Mart on Bridgeport Avenue, police said.
A caller told police that three men were looking into vehicles in the Wal-Mart parking lot at about 7:15 p.m. Wednesday.
Police arrived but did not see anyone matching the descriptions.
Police set up surveillance in the parking lot. Then they saw three men leaving the store carrying backpacks. The men matched the descriptions given by the caller, police said.
“The males got into a Cadillac and exited the parking lot onto Bridgeport Avenue. Police then performed a traffic stop of the vehicle,” according to a statement from Detective Ben Trabka.
The three men denied they had purchased anything in Wal-Mart. They also denied being in the store, Trabka said.
A search of the Cadillac turned up a number of items allegedly stolen from Wal-Mart, including video games at clothes, police said.
Police estimated there was more than $5,000 worth of merchandise in the car.
Trabka said police also recovered keys the trio used to open Wal-Mart display cabinets — along with “items used to disable store security devices.”
Police identified the Cadillac’s driver as Marcel Simmons, 37, of the Bronx.
His two passengers were Broderick Flowers, 28 and Renard Tabron, 39. They are also from the Bronx.
Simmons was charged with third-degree larceny, conspiracy to commit third-degree larceny, possession of burglary tools, misuse of a vehicle registration plate, driving an unregistered vehicle, failure to carry insurance, driving with a suspended license and failing to display a number plate.
Simmons is being held on a $200,000 bond and will appear at Superior Court in Derby today (Thursday, Aug 12).
Flowers was charged with third-degree larceny, conspiracy to commit third-degree and possession of burglary tools. He was also charged with being a fugitive from justice, after police learned he was wanted for unspecified criminal charges in New York.
Flowers is being held on a $450,000 bond and is also due in court today.
Tabron was charged with third-degree larceny, conspiracy to commit third-degree larceny and possession of burglary tools. Police said he also had a warrant out for his arrest for violating the terms of his Connecticut probation.
Tabron is being held on a $215,000 bond and will appear at Derby court today.
