Brick Police Officers working a plain clothes detail in the Township’s shopping centers arrested a 35 year-old Lakewood man who went on a shoplifting spree yesterday, police say.

On Monday December 1, Officers George Williams and Chris Geskey were working a plain cloths detail in the township’s shopping centers when they observed a male subject later identified as Alexander Ortiz, of Lakewood, acting suspicious in Kohl’s Plaza.

“Based on his suspicious behavior, the officers followed Ortiz as he went into the Shop Rite store,” Brick Police said. “As the officers followed him, they noticed a large bulge underneath his coat. When Ortiz exited Shop Rite, he removed his coat and revealed he was wearing two back packs.”

Officer Williams noticed a Bath and Body Works merchandise tag sticking out of the top of one of the back packs.

“The officers approached Ortiz on the sidewalk outside of the Bath and Body Works store and inquired about the merchandise tag. Ortiz stated he purchased the item in the store for his wife.”

The offices investigation revealed that Ortiz took the item without paying for it. As a result, Ortiz was subsequently placed under arrest for shoplifting, and a search of his backpacks yielded over $200.00 of stolen merchandise from various stores in Kohl’s Plaza and Brick Plaza.

Ortiz was processed and released on a summons.

[TLS]