Pet products were stolen in Kinnelon, NJ, by Connecticut couple, police say

Thursday, July 1st, 2010 at 6:17 pm

1278008335 42 Pet products were stolen in Kinnelon, NJ, by Connecticut couple, police say

KINNELON, NJ ? a Connecticut man and his wife are charged with conspiring with a friend to steal $2,000 in supplies from Petco last week, police said.

West Haven resident Henry Confrancesco, 40, and his wife, Crystal Confrancesco, 32, were nabbed last Thursday in the parking lot of the store in the Meadtown Shopping Center, said Lt. John Schwartz, a department spokesman.

the couple were in a 2001 Volkswagen driven by Michael Davis, 39, of Hamden, CT, Schwartz said. Police had responded to the store on a shoplifting report at 5:21 p.m. and several Petco employees directed him to the car parked in the lot.

Police approached the car and saw black garbage bags full of Petco items, including 29 flea collars, bark control collars, two in-ground fences and several remote trainers, as well as other items that allegedly were stolen from other stores, Schwartz said. the car also contained alumnimum foil and trash bags — items commonly used to defeat store security devices, he said.

the Confrancescos and Davis were all arrested and taken to headquarters. a search of Henry Confrancesco turned up a dog nail file in his sock that was used to break the locking mechanism on a glass cabinet in the store. a glass pipe allegedly used to smoke crack cocaine was found in Crystal Confrancesco’s purse, Schwartz said.

Henry Confrancesco also was identified as the man captured on Petco’s surveillance camera back in January. In that video, Confrancesco is seen breaking into a cabinet to steal a high-end dog containment unit consisting of an electric fence and collar, Schwartz said. Two other people are seen on tape assisting him but they were not Crystal Confrancesco and Davis, Schwartz said.

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the Confrancescos and Davis allegedly admitted to police that they shoplift from stores in the tri-state area and New England and sell the items to support their drug habit. the trio is suspected in other thefts from borough retailers, as well as stores in neighboring Riverdale, Schwartz said.

all three were charged with third-degree shoplifting, conspiracy and possession of stolen property.

Henry Confrancesco was also charged with possession of burglary tools, while his wife was additionally charged with possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia. Crystal Confrancesco was also found to be a fugitive from Connecticut, Schwartz said. She allegedly told police she cut off her ankle monitoring device while on parole in Connecticut, which was confirmed by her parole officer.

Bail for the couple was set at $50,000 and at $35,000 for Davis. all three were sent to the Morris County Jail in lieu of bail.

Pet products were stolen in Kinnelon, NJ, by Connecticut couple, police say