They Don't Look Like Julia Child...

WOBURN - A Lowell man with a 30-page record was ordered held on $25,000 cash bail after Burlington police allege that he and three friends stole five Kitchenaid mixers valued at over $2,100 from the Sears store at the Burlington Mall Thursday night.

In Woburn District Court on Friday, Daniel J. Digiovanni, 41, was nearly held in contempt of court after an outburst before Judge David Frank when Digiovanni showed his disgust in getting such high bail when he maintains he was just the driver and knew nothing about the theft.

In court, Digiovanni, Thomas John McCarthy, 39, of Dracut, Timothy Michael Smith Jr., 36, of Lowell and Patrick F. Riley, 43, no address available, each pleaded not guilty to larceny over $250 in connection with the theft.

Frank ordered Smith held on $10,000 cash bail, McCarthy was held on $1,500 cash and Riley was released on $200 cash, which he posted upon his arrest. Additional conditions are that all four stay away from all Sears stores in Massachusetts. McCarthy has also been charged with a theft from Macy's at the Burlington Mall prompting the judge to ban him from the mall.

Prosecutors allege that the suspects are also being investigated for similar thefts at the Burlington Mall on March 15, 16 and 22. No charges have been filed.

In court prosecutors allege that at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, loss prevention officers at Sears notified Burlington police of a suspected shoplifting. McCarthy, Smith and Riley allegedly left the store with five Kitchenaid mixers, valued at $420 each, and then rushed into a Ford F150 truck that was waiting outside.

Police stopped the truck a short distance away and arrested the four men. The mixers were found in the truck.

Digiovanni's attorney argued that his client's bail should be much less considering he cooperated with police and his co-defendants admitted he knew nothing about the thefts. Police reported that Digiovanni was seen "leaving the scene in a hurry,'' suggesting he was aware of what was happening, prosecutors said.

Smith's attorney also argued for a lower bail noting her client has long-term mental health and substance abuse issues for which he is scheduled to enter a detox program this week. But prosecutors argued that Smith has an eight-page record with more than 50 defaults and 35 guilty pleas for drug and theft charges.

All four defendants are scheduled for a pretrial conference on April 21.

Photos by Lisa Redmond/lisa.redmond@patch.com.