A Wyckoff NJ man allegedly tried to steal several items from a local Stop & Shop grocery store.

According to authorities, a 50-year-old man walked into a Wyckoff NJ Stop & Shop store, looked around for a few minutes, and then tried to leave the store without paying for items.

Store workers allegedly saw the suspect place the items in a shopping cart before trying to exit the building. According to employees, at no point did the suspect go to the cash register to pay for the items in his cart.

When the suspect attempted to leave the store, he was detained by employees. The Wyckoff Police Department dispatched officers to the scene a short time later.

Police spoke with the suspect and determined that he had shoplifted the items, which are said to have a total retail value of $372.

The suspect was subsequently placed under arrest and charged with shoplifting.

In this case, the suspect could be in store for severe penalties. That’s because the total value of the items he allegedly stole is greater than $200. As set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:20-11, a person who steals items with a value of between $200 and $500 can be charged with a fourth degree crime. A conviction on fourth degree shoplifting charges could lead to a sentence of up to 18 months in New Jersey State Prison.

Meanwhile, the suspect managed to secure his release from police custody on his own recognizance. He will need to appear in Bergen County Superior Court, located in Hackensack, NJ, later to address the theft charges against him.

To learn more about this case, read the Patch.com article, “Wyckoff Man Shoplifted $372 in Items from Stop and Shop: Police.”