3 Charged In Attempted Theft At Home Depot: Middletown Police

MIDDLETOWN, CT — Three East Hartford residents were recently arrested in connection with the attempted theft of nearly $280 worth of items from Home Depot in Middletown, according to police.

Police responded to Home Deport on Aug. 18 on the report of an attempted shoplifting. Store security told police that three people were working together and trying to push a cart with $278 worth of merchandise out the fire exit.

Store security recognized the group from past shoplifting investigations in Middletown and surrounding towns in which they push the cart right out the fire exit into an awaiting vehicle, according to police. Security was able to stop the attempted theft, police said.

Police found the suspect’s vehicle in the parking lot and said the license plate on it didn’t match the registration, according to the police report. The plate was taped over the issued plate to conceal it and help the shoplifting attempt, police said.

One of the suspects, later identified as Darren Pelletier, was found by police as he was walking away from Home Depot. Pelletier, 50, was found to be in the possession of 13 wax folds of fentanyl which weighed 2.89 grams and 0.13 grams of crack cocaine, according to police. He also had an active arrest warrant out of Bristol.

Pelletier, of Arbutus Street in East Hartford, was arrested on two counts of possession of narcotics and one count each of sixth-degree larceny and conspiracy to commit sixth-degree larceny. He was released after posting a $10,000 bond and turned over to the Bristol Police Department. He is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 11.

Collin Harmon and Jessica Sarah Gardner were both found in the vehicle that was waiting outside Home Depot, according to police. Gardner was found to be in the possession of crack cocaine along with a container of four needles and other drug paraphernalia, police said.

Gardner, 43, of Arbutus Street in East Hartford, was arrested and charged with sixth-degree larceny, conspiracy to commit sixth-degree larceny, possession of narcotics and use of drug paraphernalia. She was released after posting a $5,000 bond with a court date of Nov. 17.

Harmon, 38, of Arbutus Street in East Hartford, was arrested and charged with sixth-degree larceny and conspiracy to commit sixth-degree larceny. He was released after posting a $5,000 bond with a court date of Nov. 17.