Malden Man, Woman Caught Stealing From Somerville Home Depot: PD

Editor’s note: one person’s name was removed from this report because his or her charges were dismissed.

SOMERVILLE, MA — A man and woman from Malden were arrested Saturday after trying to steal over $1,600 in items from a Home Depot in Somerville, police said. Wagner Sozi, 31, and [Name Removed], 26, were caught after a loss prevention detective found them hiding a "large amount" of merchandise in a trash bin, according to police.

The detective told police he first saw the pair trying to switch price tags and watched as they hid items in a trash bin in another aisle, according to the police report. They then paid for three items and walked out of the store with the bin, failing to pay for the rest of the merchandise, police said.

In the loss prevention office, police searched Sozi and found a substance believed to be heroin in a plastic bag, three driver's licenses and a Brazilian passport, the police report stated. Sozi told police his real name was on the passport.

The list of stolen merchandise totaled $1,659.84, according to police. Sozi was charged with larceny over $1,200, conspiracy, possession of a forged RMV document and possession of a Class A drug (heroin). [Name Removed] was charged with larceny over $1,200 and conspiracy.