Since Friday, Paper City police have arrested eight people in connection with alleged shoplifting incidents at the Holyoke Mall and other city stores.
The Holyoke Mall at Ingleside was among the city shopping venues targeted by would-be thieves in several shoplifting cases since Friday, according to Holyoke police.HOLYOKE -- Police in the Paper City have been busy busting people for allegedly taking five-finger discounts at local stores, including the Holyoke Mall at Ingleside.
Since Friday, authorities have charged more than half a dozen people, ranging from teenagers to 40somethings, in separate retail shoplifting incidents, according to Holyoke Police Department records.
On Friday, 17-year-old Anne-Marie Burgess, 199 Hampden St., Chicopee, was charged with shoplifting in connection with a 12:06 p.m. incident at K-Mart, 2211 Northampton St.
Later, police charged 18-year-old Jordan Rivie, 570 Appleton St., Apt. 2R, Holyoke, with assault and battery and shoplifting stemming from a 4:47 p.m. incident at Macy's in the Holyoke Mall at Ingleside, 50 Holyoke St. Police charged Rivie's alleged 16-year-old accomplice with two counts of assault and battery and single counts of disorderly conduct and threatening to commit a crime.
A little more than an hour later, police responded to another shoplifting report at K-Mart. Officers ended up arresting 41-year-old Gilberto Otero Rivera, 1698 Dwight St., Apt. 2R, Springfield, on several outstanding warrants.
At 8:32 p.m., police were back at the mall, this time to charge a 16-year-old accused of stealing from Burlington Coat Factory.
On Saturday, Holyoke police arrested three Springfield residents in connection with an alleged shoplifting report at 3:12 p.m. at Sears in the Holyoke Mall.
Charged with stealing merchandise were 34-year-old Johanna Morales of 691 Carew St. and 23-year-old Jessica Laureano of 246 College St., while their friend, 29-year-old Gamalier Cintron of 90 Edgewood St., was arrested on outstanding warrants.
Bail and court information wasn't immediately available.