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Sears Shoplifting Suspect in Truck Criss-Crossed Rte. 295 in Failed Escape

The Warwick Police Department is located at 99 Veterans Memorial Drive.
The Warwick Police Department is located at 99 Veterans Memorial Drive.
The Warwick Police Department is located at 99 Veterans Memorial Drive.

WARWICK, RI — A 50-year-old Cranston driver led a Warwick officer on a chase that criss-crossed Rte. 295 north and south, crossing the median twice to change direction before officers stopped his truck March 8 at 11:45 a.m. after a Sears employee reported he’d stolen a $399 Craftsman tool set.

Officer James Vible was in the northern Sears parking lot at 850 Bald Hill Road when he received the call, when he spotted the Sears loss prevention employee outside the store, holding the tool set and pointing at a blue Ford Ranger driven by a man in his 50s, wearing glasses, a purple sweater and dark pants and sneakers, according to the officer’s report. The store employee had reported that the man, later identified as Anthony Terilli, 57, of 2161 Phenix Ave., Cranston, had stolen a Craftsman Mechanics Tool Set from the store.

Vible reported that Terilli drove his truck, which was bearing the wrong plates, quickly past him and headed for the Rte. 295 north ramp, weaving in and out of traffic, earning a half-mile lead on the officer. Once on Rte. 295, Vible caught sight of Terilli between exits 2 and 3, just as he crossed the grass median and continued south on Rte. 295.

Vible followed him across the median and continued south, but was alerted by another driver wildly gesturing at the median, where he spotted Terilli crossing to continue north on Rte. 295 again. Sgt. Robert Palumbo and Officer Stephen Major, who were traveling north on Rte. 295, caught up to and pulled Terilli over, holding him until Vible caught up.

Terilli’s truck was towed from the highway, and Vible transported Terilli to Warwick Police Headquarters at 99 Veterans Memorial Drive, where he was charged with felony shoplifting, and habitual shoplifting, both based on previous shoplifting convictions. Terilli had also been arrested for shoplifting a $249 dehumidifier from Sears on March 7.

Rob Borkowski
Author: Rob Borkowski

Rob has worked as reporter and editor for several publications, including The Kent County Daily Times and Coventry Courier, before working for Gatehouse in MA then moving home with Patch Media. Now he's publisher and editor of WarwickPost.com. Contact him at [email protected] with tips, press releases, advertising inquiries, and concerns.

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