On 05/28/2018, I, Officer Steven Scrugli and Officer Shaun Clark assigned to patrol unit East-4 responded to Home Depot 75 Mystic Ave. for a report of shoplifting and return fraud by a suspect known to Home Depot loss prevention. Also responding were Officer Patrick Canty and Officer Ariel Collazo.

On scene I was met by Loss Prevention agent XXXX. He had already detained the suspect who is identified as Brian J. Swanson (DOB: xxxx). XXXX had informed us that the second suspect was in the parking lot in a black Chevy Silverado pickup truck (MA REG xxxx). Officer Clark and I proceeded to the loss prevention office with XXXX and Swanson. Officer Canty stopped the pickup truck in the parking lot and identified the operator as John W. Polito (DOB: xxxx). Both suspects were spoken to separately about the shoplifting. Ramos explained that Swanson was known to Home Depot for a particular return scam. Polito purchased $369 worth of various tools and merchandise and would exit the store and immediately hand the purchase receipt to Swanson, who would then re-enter the store and proceed to get exact same items and then with the receipt exit the store again with the stolen items by displaying the receipt from the previous purchase. Polito would then later attempt to return the stolen items at another Home Depot for store credit and then repeat the scam. Swanson stated that he would be given a cut of about $40 from the profits of the stolen items. Polito denied all involvement in the shoplifting.  Swanson admitted that he had done this a few times before with Polito. XXXX also indicated that Home Depot Loss Prevention had been looking for these two men for a while and had an internal bulletin advisory distributed. Both Polito and Swanson were placed under arrest for the charges of:

M.G.L. Ch. 266, Sec. 30A – Shoplifting by Concealing

M.G.L. Ch. 274, Sec. 7 – Conspiracy

Both Polito and Swanson were transported by Transport Unit 200 to Somerville Police and booked in the usual manner by LT. Carmine Vivolo.

Respectfully Submitted,

Officer Steven Scrugli (#348)