By Jim Clark

Early last Saturday evening, a police officer was flagged down by an employee of the Goodwill store on Elm St. The employee informed the officer that suspected shoplifters were in the story and that he was requesting police assistance in the matter.

The officer entered the store with the employee and sought out the suspects in question. It was determined that one of the two men had already left the store, but that the other, later identified as Robert Haskell, of Weymouth, was still inside at the back of the store.

The employee reportedly told the officer that Haskell was wearing shoes that were store property and that the shoes Haskell came in with were found on the store’s shoe display rack.

The officer approached Haskell and began questioning him. When asked for his name, Haskell reportedly mumbled, “Oh, you want my real name.” When asked for his address and Social Security number Haskell was unable to furnish either, according to reports.

A search of Haskell’s shoulder bag was then conducted, which reportedly turned up a capped hypodermic syringe, two bottle caps, a small zipper lock glassine baggie containing small cotton rounds and what appeared to be a crumpled wad of tissue paper, and thin, folded over plastic wrapping.

As Haskell appeared to be concerned about the cotton rounds and tissue paper, the officer searched more thoroughly and discovered a powdery substance that appeared to be heroin wrapped in some of the tissue, police said.

Haskell was then placed under arrest and charged with possession of a class A drug and shoplifting by asportation.

As Haskell was taken away for booking, the store employee provided the officer with more information about Haskell’s actions leading up to the arrest.

Haskell was reportedly observed as he wrapped various article of store merchandise with his sweatshirt. He also reportedly attempted to take certain items into the dressing room.