An arrest has been made a month after a man and woman drove off with a cart full of groceries from an A&P Food Market in Danbury.
Steven Vlash, 22, of Bethel was arrested last Monday in connection with two A&P Food Market larcenies, according to a court affidavit.
On Oct. 28, the produce manager of A&P Food Market called Danbury police after a man and woman were acting “shifty” near the south entrance of the store, according to the affidavit. The manager approached the pair, but they started walking off in the opposite direction.
The pair ran through an unopened check out lane and exited the store, according to the affidavit. As they reached the parking lot, Vlash took the cart and lifted the contents into a Chevrolet Coloardo and drove off. No license plate was caught on camera.
When police contact the A&P loss prevention department, it was revealed that a similar situation happened earlier that day at an A&P Food Market in Brewster, NY, according to the affidavit. The suspects in that larceny also took off in a Chevrolet Colorado, but this time officers could see the Connecticut license plate from surveillance footage.
Police found that the car was registered to Vlash’s mother, according to the affidavit. When questioned about the larcenies, Vlash said he and the woman, identified as Ashley Fitzgerald, also 22 and from Bethel, forgot their debit card in the car and mistakenly exited the store with the merchandise.
Neither would give an explanation about the incident in Brewster, according to the affidavit.
In all police estimate that around $1,500 was taken from the stores. The items that were taken include baby formula, razors, makeup and vitamins.
Vlash was charged with fourth degree larceny and conspiracy to commit fourth degree larceny. He was held on a $5,000 bond and is due back in court on Dec. 15. No information has been revealed if Fitzgerald was arrested for the incidents.
