By Jim Clark

Police officers were dispatched to the Kmart store on Middlesex Ave. last Friday at 1:46 a.m. on reports of a shoplifting in progress.

Upon arrival, the officers met with the store loss prevention officer who stated that man had broken into the jewelry case and took a chain. It was believed that he concealed the chain in a comforter bag that was in the shopping cart.

Police were also told that the man was accompanied by a woman.

The police officers and security staff waited for the man to come to the register where he was confronted and handcuffed for safety.

The man, later identified as Christopher Williams, of Medford, was escorted to the security office for further investigation. The woman was also found and escorted to the office.

In the office, police searched Williams for safety. During the search, an officer felt a large bulge in Williams’ waist band and removed a bag from the waistband containing several white pills, suboxone film and three chains with sales tags attached to them.

Police reviewed the security footage., which reportedly showed the male, now identified as Christopher Williams, reach over the jewelry counter, stick something in the lock mechanism and open the glass to retrieve a chain. The three chains amounted to $946.97 in value.

Williams’ girlfriend stated that she did not know he had taken the chains and Williams confirmed that she was not involved. She was sent on her way and she was trespassed from Kmart.

Williams was placed under arrest on charges of breaking into depository and larceny under $1200, and on warrant charges of shoplifting by asportation and larceny over $1200.

Williams also had two outstanding warrants which were added to the charges.