By Jim Clark

Plainclothes police officers working a narcotics surveillance detail in the Assembly Square area last Saturday evening observed what they believed to be suspicious activity in the Home Depot parking lot and decided to investigate the situation.

The officers reportedly observed an automobile with heavy damage to its front end stop in the parking lot. According to reports, one of the four passengers in the car placed a boxed Milwaukee power drill on his seat and proceeded to pry the security tag off the box with a screwdriver.

The officers noted in their report that Home Depot has a policy of accepting returned merchandise for store credit without a receipt as long as the security tags are removed.

The officers approached the parked vehicles and they identified themselves as police.

Upon questioning, the suspect, later identified as Robert Ventullo, of Haverhill, reportedly refused to identify himself and told officers that he did not have a receipt for the drill.

When asked where the drill had come from Ventullo did not offer an answer, police said.

After extensive questioning of all the car’s passengers, Ventullo’s identity was established after a few false names were offered.

Ventullo was placed under arrest and charged with receiving stolen property over $250. He was additionally booked on warrant charges of attempt to commit a crime, conspiracy, operation of a motor vehicle with a suspended license, larceny under $250, failure to signal, and marked lanes violation.