By Jim Clark

Police officers were dispatched to the Home Depot on Mystic Ave. last week on reports of a known shoplifter in the store, known to them as Jillian Bourque, Saugus.

Upon arrival, a concerned citizen flagged down the officers and told them that he he saw a female exit a vehicle which was parked in the Cambridge Health Alliance parking lot across the street from Home Depot, in the lane closest to the street.

He said the female walked into Home Depot approximately 35 minutes earlier, and he was concerned because she appeared to be “high,” and he was worried she was using drugs in the store bathroom.

The man also said another female was still sitting in the vehicle. The officers showed the man a photo of Bourque they had received from the store Loss Prevention personnel and he confirmed that she was the woman he had seen.

The officers located the vehicle in question and immediately recognized it as one they have seen in the area before. The vehicle showed up as being registered to Casey Fitzgerald, of N. Reading, and the officers observed Fitzgerald seated in the driver’s seat.

According to the store Loss Prevention staff, Bourque had concealed merchandise in her purse and was headed for the contractor’s exit with a shopping cart containing unpaid merchandise.

As the officers pulled up to the front of the store, they observed that Fitzgerald had pulled the vehicle up to the exit, presumably so that Bourque could jump in.

The store staffer reportedly told police that while she was walking out of the store with unpaid merchandise, he heard Bourque on her cell phone frantically say, “Which door?” before becoming overwhelmed and ditching the shopping cart of unpaid merchandise next to one of the register.

According to police, it is very common for shoplifters working together to communicate via cell phone, including alerting each other to police presence.

The officers located $233.12 worth of miscellaneous merchandise, including copper fittings, and batteries inside Bourque’s purse. In the shopping cart she attempted to leave the store with, an additional $160.26 worth of miscellaneous merchandise was reportedly found, bringing the total to $393.38.

Bourque and Fitzgerald were both read their Miranda rights, and stated they wished to speak with the officers.

Bourque reportedly then told the officers that she met Fitzgerald two weeks earlier through a mutual friend named Mikey.  She said that Fitzgerald drove her to the Home Depot and told her what types of items to steal, allegedly telling Bourque that she couldn’t go inside the store herself, as she had stolen merchandise from there before.

Bourque further said that Fitzgerald called her and told her she was taking too long, that they had to leave, and that she would leave her there if she didn’t come outside. She said that Fitzgerald returns the stolen items to Home Depot stores in exchange for gift cards.

Fitzgerald also told the officers she met Bourque only two weeks earlier through a mutual friend, but she said she sells the stolen items in the store parking lot for cash. She admitted to having a drug problem, and I observed fresh marks on her body, as well as drug paraphernalia in her vehicle.

Since both women admitted to coming to Home Depot with the intent to steal, they were placed under arrest for larceny under $1,200, and conspiracy.

Fitzgerald asked if she could leave her vehicle in the Home Depot parking lot so it wouldn’t be towed, and the officers received permission from the store for her vehicle to remain there for a few hours.