Police in Bristol County arrest two men in alleged merchandise scam at Walmart stores

A local police department has arrested two men in connection with an alleged merchandise scam at area Walmart stores.

According to Chief James Donovan, on Monday, just before 1:15 p.m., a Raynham Police Officer responded to Walmart, 160 Broadway, for a report of past incidents of theft or attempted theft at the store. Through an on-scene investigation, officers determined that the suspects activated a Visa gift card without paying and subsequently left the store. Officers also learned that the males returned to the store March 19 and returned merchandise worth more than $1,300.

Officers learned that the suspects were known to Walmart staff because they have allegedly taken gift cards without paying for them and used the gift cards to purchase Apple products, which they then later returned for cash. Through their investigation, officers determined that the merchandise was purchased from a Walmart in another community using Visa gift cards.

As part of a continuing investigation, officers spoke with staff at the Walmart at 36 Paramount Drive. There they learned that two male suspects entered the store at about 1:23 p.m. March 20 and attempted to return the Apple Watch and AirPods just purchased at the Walmart located at 160 Broadway. A store employee indicated that they recognized the two suspects from the previous Walmart scams and instructed employees not to process the return and to have them removed from the store.

A short time later, an officer observed two males acting suspiciously, holding a brown paper bag while walking through the Walmart parking lot at 36 Paramount Drive. An officer observed the suspects walking through the Walmart parking lot and ultimately entering the Beacon Variety store, 748 New State Highway (Route 44).

A Raynham Police Officer responded to the parking lot of the Beacon Variety store, where he observed the two males. When the officer approached the suspects in an attempt to speak with them, they fled westbound on foot. The suspects ran westbound across Orchard Street at the intersection of Route 44 and continued down Route 24 North, across Route 24, and under the Route 44 overpass to a wooded area where one of the suspects, later identified as 19-year-old Angelo Henderson of Taunton, was taken into custody.

A Massachusetts State Police K-9 Unit and Taunton Police responded to assist in the search for the second suspect. A perimeter was set around the wooded area and the suspect, later identified as 21-year-old Dyllan Lopes of Quincy, was located in the brush and taken into custody.

Raynham Police subsequently located a Walmart bag containing an Apple Watch and Apple AirPods in the wooded area.

Raynham Police determined that Lopes and Henderson were the individuals involved in the alleged theft scheme. They also had active warrants.

The incident remains under active investigation.

Lopes and Henderson were charged with Disorderly Conduct, Disturbing the Peace, Larceny Over $1,200 By Single Scheme, and
Trespass on State/County Property. Both were arraigned in Taunton District Court on Tuesday morning.