By Jim Clark

Police officers were dispatched to the Rite Aid on Highland Ave. in response to reports that shoplifters had entered the store after being allegedly spotted stealing items from the Found store on Elm St.

Police were met by an employee from Found who followed the two suspects, a male, Christopher Giacoppo, 25, and a female, Teresa Colangeli, 31, both of Roxbury, into the Rite Aid.

After the Found employee pointed out the suspects to police, an officer reportedly ordered Colangeli to stop for questioning, but she repeatedly refused to do so. Eventually Colangeli stopped for police, according to reports, and her companion, Giacoppo, joined her as police questioned them both.

A warrant inquiry was conducted, but no outstanding warrants were discovered. Colangeli did, however, reportedly volunteer to officers documentation that she was out of jail on bail recognizance on a charge of shoplifting.

Police then searched Colangeli’s purse and a tote bag that she was carrying. The officers reportedly discovered several blouses in the tote bag, each with sales tags still attached to them. Two of the clothing items had sales tags from Found attached, and the employee from that store identified the articles as having come from there.

Colangeli reportedly told police, “Ya, I stole those from here.”

Police reportedly found various articles in Colangeli’s purse that Rite Aid employees identified as belonging to that store.

Colangeli was subsequently placed under arrest and taken to jail.

Giacoppo’s backpack and a duffel bag were then searched. A pair of pants with a Found tag was discovered in the duffel bag. Several other articles of clothing bearing price tags were also reportedly found to be in Giacoppo’s possession, although it was not clear to officers what store each item had come from.

Giacoppo was then placed under arrest and taken into custody.

Both Giacoppo and Colangeli have been charged with shoplifting by concealing merchandise.