Mother, Son Committed String of Northport Drug Store Thefts: Police

A mother and son were arrested Wednesday after police say they stole thousands of dollars worth of items from chain drug stores in Northport over the past month.

According to authorities, Antoinette and Michael Russo, of Patchogue, would enter the stores with a small stolen item hidden in their possession to set off the anti-theft alarm, therefore making the staff believe the alarms went off in error. The mother, 46, and son, 20, would then fill their bags with several items, pay for one small item at the counter and proceed to the store exit, police say. When the anti-theft alarm would go off, police said the staff believed the alarm went off in error again and would let them leave.

Antoinette and Michael Russo are accused of committing the following thefts:

• $1,300.00 worth of merchandise was stolen from CVS, located at 753 Fort Salonga Road, on April 26.
• $2,816.55 worth of merchandise was stolen from Rite Aid, located at 395 Fort Salonga Road, on April 28.
• $2,017.26 and $585.86 worth of merchandise were stolen from CVS and Rite Aid, respectively, on May 7.

Northport detective Peter Hayes was able to develop a pattern in the thefts and identified Michael Russo as a suspect. Hayes “staked-out” CVS on Wednesday night and saw both Russos enter the store at about 7 p.m. Hayes stopped them before they fled the scene and discovered they were in possession of $887.44 worth of stolen goods, police say. The staff of the store was unaware a theft was taking place, police say.

Antoinette Russo was charged with two counts of fourth-degree grand larceny, two counts of petty larceny and fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property. Her bail was set at $129,000.

Michael Russo was charged with fourth-degree grand larceny, fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property and two counts petty larceny. His bail is pending.

Dean Balsamo, 36, of Patchogue, was also arrested and charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property and petty larceny. His bail was set at $23,000.

Images via Northport Police Department. Photo 1: (l-r) Antoinette Russo and Michael Russo. Photo 2: Dean Balsamo