By Jim Clark

Police responded to a reported case of larceny at the TJ Maxx store on Middlesex Ave. last week.

Upon arrival, officers were met by the store’s loss prevention personnel and were led to where a woman, Mary Moore, 45, of Roxbury, had been detained for allegedly stealing items from the store. A Kmart shopping cart full of merchandise was also being held for evidence.

A loss prevention employee reportedly explained to police that he had observed Moore behaving suspiciously as she passed through the store, sometimes removing merchandise from shelves and not returning it, and behaving as she was placing items into bags inside of the shopping cart.

The employee further stated that Moore affected her exit from the store by taking some handbags that she said she didn’t want to the returns counter and then attempted to leave the store while allegedly secreting out merchandise that had been hidden away in the shopping cart.

When asked if Moore had provided any identification the store employee produced an ID card that Moore had reportedly given him. The police officers reported that the picture on the ID did not match the suspect at all, and a subsequent search of her purse turned up several pieces of ID that proved who she really was.

Moore was placed under arrest and charged with larceny over $250 and shoplifting over $100 by asportation.

Police also returned several items to the Kmart store where they were reportedly identified as store property.