Danbury Police: Retail Theft

Danbury Police charged a New Fairfield woman with thefts over a two-month period at Lowe's in Danbury.

Christine Early, 39, Williams Road, New Fairfield, was arrested on a Superior Court Warrant Friday charging her with “Organized Retail Theft," and "Conspiracy to Commit Organized Retail Theft." She is currently being held on a $50,000 bond. Police said the arrest arose from a series of thefts from Lowes Home Improvement Center, Eagle Road, over a two month period in 2011. More arrests are expected.

Police Spokesman Thomas Michael released the following information about "organized retail theft."

 "Sec. 53-142k. Organized retail theft. (a) As used in this section:

      (1) "Retail property" means any new article, product, commodity, item or component intended to be sold in retail commerce;

      (2) "Value" means the retail value of an item as advertised by the affected retail establishment, including applicable taxes; and

      (3) "Retail property fence" means a person who buys retail property when such person knows or should know the property is stolen and with the intent to unlawfully distribute the property or to promote, manage, carry on or facilitate a violation of subsection (b) of this section.

      (b) Any person who, for financial gain and in conjunction with one or more other persons, commits larceny by shoplifting, as defined in section 53a-119, of retail property having an aggregate value exceeding two thousand dollars and (1) wrongfully takes such property during a period of one hundred eighty days, or (2) sells, delivers or otherwise transfers such property to a retail property fence, shall have committed the offense of organized retail theft.

      (c) Any person who receives, possesses, conceals, stores, barters, sells or disposes of any retail property acquired in violation of subsection (b) of this section, with the intent to distribute the proceeds or otherwise promote, manage, carry on or facilitate a violation of said subsection, shall have committed the offense of accessory to organized retail theft.

      (d) It shall not be a defense to a charge of accessory to organized retail theft in violation of subsection (c) of this section that the retail property was obtained by means other than through a violation of said subsection if the property was explicitly represented to the person charged under said subsection (c) as being obtained through the commission of organized retail theft.

      (e) Any person who violates subsection (b) or (c) of this section shall be guilty of a class D felony, except that, if such person derives a financial benefit of ten thousand dollars or more as a result of such violation, such person shall be guilty of a class C felony."