SHOPLIFTING ARRESTS

DATE/TIME: 8/13/2007 4:00 PM
LOCATION: Costco, Sea View Mall
OFFICERS INVOLVED: Kevin Donohoe, Mark Del Tin, Raheem Carter, Detective Sgt. Faller and Detective James Loizos.
ACCUSED: Anthony W. Columbo, Age 25 of Brick, NJ.
Hannah M. Hall, Age 49 of Brick, NJ.

NARRATIVE:
     On 8/13/2007 at approximately 4:00 PM, Police were called to the Costco store located in the Sea View Mall in reference to a shoplifting in progress. A Costco loss prevention employee provided a description of the persons involved. Officers Kevin Donohoe and Mark Del Tin arrived and located the accused at the cash register. He was identified as Anthony W. Columbo, Age 25 from Brick. Columbo was also in the company of a female accomplice, identified as Hannah M. Hall, age 49 also of Brick. Both were subsequently taken into custody. The two entered Costco and Columbo emptied the contents of a large box, containing a bar stool, that was on display. He then took the empty box and proceeded to fill it with four Nikon digital cameras and four CPN digital cameras. He then sealed the box with tape that he had with him when he entered the store. He subsequently handed that box over to Hall who then proceeded to the register with same. Columbo then emptied another box containing a piece of luggage and began to fill that box with three DVD players and a PS3 game box. Once that box was filled, he too then took it to the register. The total value of the merchandise concealed in the boxes was $9,234.02.
     The incident began earlier in the day as the Brick Township Police Department was investigating a similar shoplifting incident at the Costco located in their town. Loss prevention personnel form the Brick store had notified the Ocean Township Costco to be on the alert for the two after the incident in Brick. An alert loss prevention employee at the Ocean Township Store observed Columbo carrying the box to the register and realized he matched the description given to him earlier by the Brick Costco. He then notified Ocean Township Police.
     Columbo and Hall were subsequently transported to OTPD for processing. The two drove to Costco in a 2000 Toyota pick up which was seized under criminal forfeiture guidelines. Officers located crack cocaine, drug paraphernalia and a “slim jim” car door opener inside the truck.
Both Columbo and Hall were charged with Shoplifting, Possession of Paraphernalia, Possession of Crack Cocaine, Possession of Burglary Tools, and Conspiracy to Commit Shoplifting. Both were later transported to the Monmouth County Jail on $40,000.00 bail each.