Cranston Man Arrested for Role in Plot to Rob East Greenwich Doctor's Office

East Greenwich police have arrested two men — and have a warrant for the arrest of a third — in connection with a robbery of a local doctor’s office on South County Trail last month.

Police said Michael J. Smith, 20, of 274 Lawnacre Drive, Cranston, has been charged with felony breaking and entering and larceny for his role in the alleged break-in.

Eduardo J. Lopez, 22, of 39 Wallace St., Providence, has been charged with two counts of felony conspiracy for allegedly masterminding the robbery.

A third man, identified as Felix Martinez, is due to be arrested sometime soon as police have a warrant for allegedly joining Smith in the robbery.

Police said Lopez recruited Smith and Martinez to break into the commercial office building at 2358 South County Trail, telling Smith that it was filled with computers, iPads and a medicine cabinet containing prescription drugs.

Lopez reportedly said he knew the details since he has been inside the office after hours as he worked for his mother’s cleaning company, which had a contract to clean the business.

According to a police report, Smith was identified as a suspect and was brought in for questioning by East Greenwich police on Jan. 28.

Smith said that Lopez told him they could make $5,000 to $10,000 in about 30 minutes, noting that one of his mother’s cleaning accounts was the doctor’s office in East Greenwich.

The plan was hatched at L.A. Fitness in Cranston, police said, and they soon entered the business using his mother’s passcode to scope out their plan.

Once inside, they took note of what computers and equipment would get stolen and where the key to the medicine cabinet was located.

Lopez reportedly told Smith to empty the cabinet and they took pictures using a cell phone to inventory what would be stolen. They then re-armed the security system and left.

Lopez told Smith that he’d recruit another person to carry out the robbery. That person, Martinez, joined Smith on Jan. 24.

Together, they drove from Providence to East Greenwich and parked in the Sun Valley Trailer Park located near the office complex.

Using the same code used during the casing of the business, Martinez and Smith went inside and stacked the computers and iPads, along with a backpack they filled with drugs next to a rear door.

Police said they then walked back to the car, drove it to the side door and quickly loaded the trunk with the stolen equipment before setting the alarm once again and leaving.

Smith said he stored the stolen goods in his basement as they began the task of trying to convert the items into cash.

Lopez reportedly admitted to police that he orchestrated the theft, confirming the details that Smith relayed to police during his interview.

Lopez said that they tried to sell the haul for about $5,000 to one person in Providence, but were unsuccessful. They did swap an iPad in exchange for “some future tattoo sessions,” according to a police report.

“[Lopez] was very honest with us and confirmed everything that we know and that [Smith] had stated,” police said.

He even told police that they tried to make it look like a break-in by shooting out a window with an air gun, sending a plastic projectile through a glass door.

A check of alarm records showed the alarm was turned off and on multiple times at around the same times the alleged walk-through and actual robbery occurred.

Smith was released on surety bail and is due to appear in court on March 9 for an attorney general screening conference.

Court records show Smith was convicted on charges of possession with intent to deliver narcotics and receiving stolen goods in 2013. He was sentenced to six years of probation.

Lopez was released on personal recognizance after his initial court appearance and is due to return to court on March 9 as well.

Martinez will likely be arrested soon, according to police.