Brick Police Arrest 4 In Prolific Tri-State Shoplifting Ring

BRICK, NJ — Four people have been arrested in a shoplifting ring that authorities say has stolen thousands of dollars' worth of items from stores throughout the tri-state area, Brick Township police said Tuesday.

David Jamaluddin, 21, and Eduard Kagalovsky, 19, both from Brooklyn, Margarite Peconio, 19, of Queens, and a juvenile were arrested March 7 after Brick police were called about 6 p.m. to the Target on Route 70 for a shoplifting report, Sgt. Jim Kelly said.

Kelly said detectives from the department's Street Crimes Unit along with Detectives Tom Cooney and Mike Bennet, and Patrolmen Mike DeMaio and Mark Catalina. The suspects were still in the store at the time and police recognized them as suspects from previous shoplifting incidents throughout the tri-state area, Kelly said.

As the suspects wheeled out more than $1,000 worth of merchandise in a shopping cart without paying, officers stopped and arrested them. They were identified as the same four suspects who stole more than $400 worth of merchandise from that Target store on Feb. 2, Kelly said.

As police investigated, they found thousands of dollars' worth of items from other stores in various towns, including the Target stores in Manalapan and Howell, and the Kohl's store in Howell, among others. Merchandise from DSW and TJ Maxx was also among the evidence discovered by detectives, Kelly said.

Jamaluddin, Kagalovsky, Peconio and the juvenile were all charged with two counts of third-degree shoplifting, Kelly said. Jamaluddin, Kagalovsky and Peconio were released on summonses, and the juvenile was turned over to their guardian.

The investigation is ongoing, he said.

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