On Friday, November 24, 2017 I, Officer Justin Buswell, worked my assigned 8am-4pm shift in marked Somerville Police Cruiser East-1 and in full uniform. The following report is a summary of events that I witnessed as they pertain to Incident# 17071467:

Officer Devin Schneider and I were dispatched to Assembly Row at 10:49am to a report of a suspicious person. The RP was Assembly Row security who was watching a male party that was believed to be involved in a shoplifting incident two days ago at Brooks Brothers. Upon arrival I spoke with XXXXX. XXXXX stated that she witnessed a male party ran out of the Express clenching an unknown item close to his chest and the store’s Anti-Theft Alarms were activated. The two security officers followed the individual to the public restroom at the bottom level of the garage at AVA Building locate at 455 Artisan Way.

As we made our way to the bathroom, we met with Security Officer YYYYY, who pointed out a male individual who was hurriedly exiting the garage that matched the description of the male suspect (grey hat, black pea coat, jeans.) We proceeded to stop the male party at the garage exit and moved to a near-by bench. The male individual complied. Officer Schneider ordered the male individual to remove his hands from his pockets multiple times. The male individual did not comply. It was at this time that I conducted a pat frisk of the individual. No weapons were found. Officer Timothy Sullivan (K9), Officer Ross O’Meara (East-4), Officer Sergio Costa (East-3), and Officer Michael McCarey (East-3) responded as back-up.

The individual did not have identification but verbally identified himself as Michael WALLACE. WALLACE was carrying a Carters paper bag. We subsequently learned from DESROCHERS the WALLACE had entered Carters and retrieved the bag without making a purchase. The bag had an open top and within the bag a jacket was in plain view with a price tag still attached. It was at this time the I read WALLACE his Miranda Warnings from a pre-printed card. WALLACE stated that he understood his Miranda Warning and still wished to speak with us. WALLACE then admitted to stealing two jackets from SAKS Off Fifth Avenue and then removing the Theft Detection Device from each jacket and flushed them down the toilet in the bathroom. The second jacket was being worn by WALLACE and the price tags were in plain view. We removed the jacket that he was wearing.

Loss Prevention Officer (LPO) ZZZZZ from Saks Off Fifth responded to our location and identified the stolen merchandise as belonging to his company.

WALLACE was then placed under arrest. I handcuffed WALLACE behind his back, double locked, and checked for proper tightness. During a Search Incident to Lawful Arrest a Dewalt Multi-tool and Husky Needle Nose Pliers which I believe were used to remove the Theft Detection Device. I entered the tools into evidence in the usual manner. WALLACE was transported back to the station in Prison Transport Unit-200 by Officer Robert Hartsgrove. At the station WALLACE was booked in the usual manner by Lt. Diogo Deoliviera.

The stolen jackets were a Cornelian Jacket valued at $871.99 and a Mackage Jacket valued at $719.99 for a total value of $1,599.98. The jackets were returned to Saks Off Fifth. Pictures of the jackets will be attached to this report.

I will be filing criminal charges against Michael Wallace for the following violation of Massachusetts General Law:

-Ch. 266/S.30A Larceny Over $250

-Ch. 266/S. 30B Removal of Theft Detection Device

I would respectfully note for future officer safety: three Hypodermic Needles were found on WALLACE.

ZZZZZ notified me that video of WALLACE removing the jacket was discovered after an investigation of the video surveillance system.

Respectfully submitted,

Officer Justin Buswell #344