Somerville Police are seeking to identify the suspects depicted in the attached video in connection with a series of diversion thefts at neighborhood convenience stores.  In a recent incident at Shivalic Food and Spices at 310 Broadway in Somerville on November 10, a lone subject enters the store shortly after opening and presents a large bill for a small purchase.   Knowing that the clerk will not have sufficient change in the register, the clerk will go to wherever additional working cash is stored.  After seeing where the clerk retrieves the money, the lone subject then leaves the store. 

A short time later, two other accomplices enter the store and make separate purchases of lottery tickets.   The second accomplice makes a legitimate purchase and remains in the store.  The third accomplice short changes the clerk for the lottery tickets and quickly leaves the store while the second accomplice is still at the counter.  The second accomplice then goes outside and tells the clerk that the third subject is still outside.  In an attempt to recover the money, the clerk runs outside to confront the suspect.  At this point, while the clerk is occupied outside the store, trying to recover the under payment, the first suspect re-enters the store, goes to where the extra cash is stored and quickly steals the hidden cash, and leaves in less than thirty seconds.  The clerk is usually unaware of the theft until long after the suspects have left. 

Two similar incidents are under investigation, one at the Y-Not Variety in Somerville on November 18 and another at a convenience store in Everett.  The suspects appear to be targeting local stores operated by middle Eastern clerks.  The suspects in the Shiivalic incident are described as three males, possibly Hispanic, in their twenties to thirties.  The suspects in the Y-Not incident are two possibly Hispanic males (same as the Shivalic incident) and one female. 

Anyone with information is urged to contact Somerville Police at 617 625-1212.