MONROE, CT — A white man, who appeared to be in his early 20s, wearing a black T-shirt, gray pants and a Puma backpack, tried to make off with energy drinks and other items from the Rite Aid pharmacy on Route 111 Friday afternoon, but failed before targeting the Rite Aid on Main Street.
Police said he had entered the Route 111 store, walked to the frozen food section and started loading a cart with Red Bull, razors, Tide Pods and hair gel.
When he dropped a can of Red Bull on the floor, the store manager asked if he needed help. He asked her if they sold Red Bull by the case, and if so, how much it would cost, according to police.
He decided not to buy the Red Bull, so she helped him put it back.
The man lingered at the store, so the manager again asked him if he needed help. Police said he asked about the price of Red Bull again.
Then he approached the counter with his cart and the manager scanned $92 worth of merchandise. However, when he tried to pay with two credit cards both were declined.
He told her he would be back. When he left, police said the manager called the manager of the Rite Aid on Main Street to tell her what happened.
Shortly after the call, the Main Street manager noticed a man fitting the description enter her store. She called back to confirm the description and the other manager told her it matched the suspect.
The man placed two 24-packs of Monster Energy drink and a big bag of frozen chicken in his cart, but immediately left without the items when store staff approached him, according to the report.
The man was seen walking around the plaza, before appearing head south on Main Street.
Video surveillance showed he may have been accompanied by a heavy-set black man with scruffy facial hair, who also appeared to be in his 20s. He left in a black Nissan Rogue with damage to a side door.
The vehicle headed south on Route 25, toward Bridgeport. Police said nothing was taken during the two incidents.
Police investigate Route 110 crash
Police officers responding to the report of a disabled vehicle on Route 110, near the Shelton line, just before 5 a.m. Sunday, found a smashed up white Acura TL on the side of the east bound lane.
The front end of the car was severely damaged and the bumper had fallen off, police said, adding about 15 feet of the guardrail was damaged. The vehicle had Virginia registration.
Officers conducted a search of the area, but could not find the driver. However, she had left her driver’s license inside the car.
Police contacted the 21-year-old New Haven woman, who told them she was driving home, did not have her cell phone and was lost, when a deer ran out, the report said.
While trying to avoid the deer, she told police she struck a tree, but it was actually the guardrail, police said. The woman told police a passerby gave her a ride home.
A fraud complaint
A Realtor reported an incident of fraud Sunday after finding a package delivered to a house for sale on Ridgewood Drive. Police said it was addressed to someone she did not recognize.
The package contained a modem from the Spectrum cable company.
