ABINGDON, Md. — Three men on a mission---shopping for themselves at big box stores in Constant Friendship, but unlike other customers, Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler says they had no intention of paying for the items.
“One came from Cecil County, one Baltimore County, one Baltimore City outside of Harford County,” said Gahler, “but it’s just irritating, you know, quality of life issues. These people come. They steal and a lot of times, they get away with it Scott free.”
Abingdon retailers fight back against theft
But not this time.
The trio of suspects skipped past the cashiers leaving one store with high-end vacuum sweepers, Meta glasses, hats and hygiene products and employees called the police.
When sheriff’s deputies arrived at the Walmart, they discovered the three suspects had already made their getaway, but they didn’t get far. They’d only driven to another parking lot outside the Target where they were in the middle of committing similar crimes.
Deputies arrested all three, one still wearing a jersey stolen from the store a matter of minutes earlier, and they recovered more than 24 hundred dollars’ worth of goods.
“That passes on a cost to you and me and the taxpayers when these retailers get hit with these thefts,” said Gahler, “So seems like a minor crime, but in Harford County, we take all crime seriously.”
It didn’t help their case that a search of their vehicle turned up narcotics and drug paraphernalia adding to their charges, which kept two of the suspects jailed with no bond a week after their arrests.
Police suspect they may have been involved in similar crimes and are asking anyone with information to contact the Southern Precinct at 410-838-6600.
