By Jim Clark

Somerville Police officers were dispatched to Walgreen’s Pharmacy on Somerville Ave. last week on reports of shoplifters in the store.

Upon arrival, the store manager told the officers that a man and a woman had just stolen merchandise from the store. He stated that both individuals came into the store together and left together. He also said that the both of them got on the Central Sq. bus that just picked them up prior to the officers’ arrival. The manager said that the bus turned right onto Park St. and was heading toward Beacon St.

The officers headed to Beacon St. in an attempt to catch up with the suspects. The bus had pulled over to pick up passengers at the intersection of Beacon St. and Washington St.

The officers boarded the bus and located the suspects, based on the description furnished by the store manager, among the other passengers and questioned them about their presence at Walgreen’s store.

The two suspects, later identified as Anthony Moore and Leslie Wheeler, reportedly did not deny that they were present in Walgreens, and the officers told them that they had a very good description of two shoplifters at and that they fit the description.

The officers reportedly observed a plastic shopping bag on the bus floor directly to the right Moore’s left foot. The bag was opened and the officers found numerous health and beauty products in the bag.

The officers were also told by the store manager that the female may have shoplifted a Revlon box and several other items. Lying on the bus floor was a black Revlon box that was located directly underneath the seat that Wheeler was occupying.

After a minute or two of conversation, with limited cooperation from both suspects, the officers asked them to step off the bus in order for them to further continue their investigation and allow the bus passengers to continue on with their routine. Both suspects agreed to exit the bus with the officers.

After several reportedly tense minutes conversing with both suspects, the officers called for additional units to assist them.

After finding several more merchandise items located in the defendants’ belongings, the officers placed both Moore and Wheeler under arrest on a charge of shoplifting by asportation.

Once the suspects were picked up for transport to the police station for booking, the officers went back and received a Walgreens register receipt for the stolen merchandise. The total of the merchandise was $187.05. The list included aspirin, under arm deodorant, and body sprays.