Crime & Safety
Target Store in South Whitehall Hit In Theft Ring
Two men face charges in what police say was a sophisticated retail theft ring that hit Target stores in 11 counties. Arrests do not indicate a conviction.
Eugene Romano of Center Valley and another man have been charged in a theft scheme that spanned 11 counties and involved creating fake labels used to rip off Target stores, according to multiple sources including WFMZ.
The store, 1600 N. Cedar Crest Boulevard, South Whitehall was among the stores hit, according to the arrest affidavit.
Romano and Damian Gasdaska of Phillipsburg allegedly put low-price labels on high-priced items, purchased the items and then sold them on eBay, netting $172,000 over the past three years. Items included Bose speakers and Dyson vacuum cleaners, as reported by NBC channel 10 in Philadelphia.
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Investigators are seeking a third person involved in the theft ring.
Items at the Target store in South Whitehall included Bose computer speakers and breast pumps, according to an attachment to the affidavit.
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Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman said crimes occurred throughout Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lehigh, Luzerne, Montgomery, Northampton and Philadelphia counties.
The suspects used fake IDs and stolen identities as part of their scheme, according to the charges.
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