Shoplifter Walked Onto I-95 While Fleeing Police: Fairfield PD

FAIRFIELD, CT — Three men from New York are accused of conspiring to steal more than $4,000 in merchandise from a Fairfield store, according to authorities.

Marcus Ramirez, Dante Ramirez and Tamel Washington — all Brooklyn residents — are charged with organized retail theft and conspiring to commit organized retail theft, according to police. Marcus Ramirez is also charged with interfering with an officer and Washington, who was found to have two Ecstasy pills on his person at the time of the theft, is charged with drug possession, police said.

The incident occurred about 1 p.m. Feb. 10, when authorities responded to a shoplifting report at Home Depot, 541 Kings Highway Cutoff, according to police. The arriving officer saw a black Dodge Caravan with no license plate leaving the area, and when law enforcement tried to stop the vehicle, Marcus Ramirez exited the van and fled on foot, police said. Ramirez crossed Eastbourne Road and Kings Highway Cutoff, onto Interstate 95, before he was eventually found in the 800 block of Holland Hill Road and taken into custody, according to police.

Dante Ramirez and Washington remained in the vehicle and were also taken into custody, police said, noting the trio was in possession of $4,360.61 in stolen merchandise.

Marcus Ramirez, 37, was processed for an outstanding warrant out of Greenwich and released to South Windsor police due to an additional warrant, according to law enforcement. He is free on a promise to appear in court, according to court records.

Dante Ramirez, 31, was held on $253,000 bond and charged with being a fugitive from justice in connection with charges out of Pennsylvania, including aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, simple assault, harrassment and criminal mischief, police said. Washington, 20, was released after posting 10 percent of a $3,000 bond, according to police.