Suspects in Multiple Gym Thefts, Including Norwood, Arrested

A tip received by police a half hour after asking the public for help has led to the arrest of two Taunton men suspected of stealing items at local gyms, including one in Norwood.

John P. Fisher, 40 is charged larceny from a building, larceny under $250, breaking and entering of a vehicle in the daytime, larceny from a building, and credit card fraud over $250. John A. Root, 28, is charged with breaking and entering a vehicle in the daytime, two counts of larceny from a building, larceny under $250 and receiving a stolen credit card.

Fisher is currently being held at the Dartmouth House of Corrections for an unrelated charge stemming from a case in Fall River.

Earlier this week, police received a report of a theft at the Vanderbilt Club in Norwood. According to police, the two walked in, asked for a registration form, and walked towards the locker room. While it appeared they were finding a place to fill out the forms, they were allegedly searching for open lockers.

One person told police that when he returned to his locker after a workout, it appeared that someone went through it. When he went to his car, someone had stolen his wallet after the center console and glove compartment were opened.

The suspects used the victim’s credit cards at the Westwood Target. A loss prevention officer was able to capture their photo and license plate as they left the store, finding the two to be suspicious.

The case is similar to the Stoughton incident, where Root allegedly entered Elite Fitness and searched for unlocked gym lockers. Once an unlocked locker was found, the victim’s car keys were removed from a locker, used to unlock their vehicle in the parking lot, and steal a wallet. The victim’s credit cards were used at various pharmacies.

Police say the photo of the suspects were shared 1,939 times and viewed by approximately 179,224 people. In total five people were able to identify Fisher as a suspect.

Photo Credit: Norwood Police