By Jim Clark

Reports of employees of the Home Depot store on Mystic Ave. struggling with suspected shoplifters brought police to the scene to investigate and make arrests last Friday.

Upon arrival officers were told that a group of men had attempted to take a variety of decking materials from the store without paying for them, but they were stopped by store employees as they attempted to load the items into a vehicle in the store’s parking lot.

Officers were also informed that one of the involved parties got away from the scene on a motorcycle, and another by SUV, but that two other suspects, one of whom was identified as Paul Carreiro, 53, of Cambridge, were being held in the store’s loss prevention office. The other suspect has not yet been charged.

Store employees reportedly told police that the group of men had been observed collecting various items used as decking materials, placing them on a cart as they went through the store. The men allegedly left the store via the garden area entrance without paying for the merchandise, which was estimated to have a cash value in excess of $650.

Carreiro and another man, who fled after being confronted by store security, were spotted loading the merchandise into the back of a pickup truck. Carreiro was detained and held until police arrived.

Store personnel reportedly told officers that the suspects had been involved in an earlier attempt to steal merchandise from the Home Depot in Everett earlier that same day. The store had access to video footage reportedly showing the men attempting to take merchandise from the other store without paying.

According to reports, while being transported for booking being he said to officers, “I work for them and I’m going to jail.”

Carreiro was placed under arrest and charged with larceny over $250 and later faced additional warrant charges of shoplifting by asportation and operation of a motor vehicle with a suspended license.