RLP NEWS
GREAT BARRINGTON — A group of alleged shoplifters recently attempted to steal $1,761.57 worth of power tools from Tractor Supply Co. in Barrington Plaza, using a distraction tactic to deceive store employees. Four Venezuelan men are accused of orchestrating the heist on August 28, though only two have been formally charged.
According to police, one suspect distracted a cashier by asking for help finding cat food, while others loaded Dewalt hedge trimmers, a chainsaw, and Makita power drivers into a cart. Meanwhile, another suspect cut the alarm wire at the back door. However, the plot fell apart before they could load the stolen goods into their getaway car.
Two of the suspects, Keiver D. Gomez Garcia and Nixon Alberto Cardozo Mendez, both residents of New York City, face multiple charges in Southern Berkshire District Court. Their arraignments are scheduled for Thursday. Authorities believe this is just one of many coordinated thefts involving unlicensed drivers, getaway cars, and fake registrations that have occurred across the region.
This incident marks the second attempt by the same group to steal power tools from the Great Barrington store. On July 25, surveillance footage captured them using bolt cutters to break into a tool case, but they were forced to flee when a veterinary clinic was being held at the back of the store.
Tractor Supply’s loss prevention specialist told police that this incident follows a classic pattern of “Organized Retail Crime,” which has plagued the chain’s stores throughout the Northeast. The same suspects have been linked to thefts in other Massachusetts towns, as well as in New Jersey and Connecticut. Video evidence and license plate data from multiple stores indicate a consistent modus operandi.
In this case, the suspects used an older white Nissan Sentra with fraudulent license plates and registration traced to fake addresses. The car remains impounded at the police station, and no one has come forward to claim it. A trace of the vehicle’s VIN number led to a dead end, with paperwork attached to nonexistent addresses and fraudulent dealer permits.
On the day of the theft, the suspects attempted to flee but were quickly intercepted by police. The men, using a translation app, claimed they had come to the store to buy cat food and failed to stop for the police because they did not have a driver’s license.
Gomez and Mendez were released on $2,000 bail, paid in cash by unknown individuals. Both men have prior charges related to retail theft, and Mendez has an active warrant out of Hanover, Massachusetts. The other two suspects involved, Eliser Enrique Rojano Vlera and Andres David Serrano Quintero, have not been charged, though they were seen with the group during the attempted theft.
The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to piece together the extent of the organized crime operation, which is believed to have targeted multiple Tractor Supply stores and other retailers across the region.