Arrest warrants have been issued for four Peruvian nationals for their suspected role in a retail theft ring that targeted the TJ Maxx store at the Fairlane Village Mall outside Pottsville last year.
Police say the following four individuals acted in concert on July 11, 2024, at the TJ Maxx in Schuylkill County to steal more than $2,500 in merchandise:
- Patricia Cartolin-Lume, 49, of Paterson, NJ
- Liz Corneo-Serpa, 37, of Paterson, NJ
- Emilio Cordova-Varona (aka Ceasar Sanchez), 52, of Paterson, NJ
- Marco Arias-Bohorquez, 58, of Forest Hills, NY
Warrants have been issued for all four.
In addition to these four, police say a fifth suspect is also involved in this theft Ring: Gaspar Hinojosa-Alhua, 34
In addition to the heist pulled at the TJ Maxx in Schuylkill County, police suspect this ring of thieves pulled similar jobs at TJ Maxx locations in Lebanon, Monroe, Luzerne Delaware, and Snyder counties. They also hit a location in Newton, Mass.
Their work wasn’t limited to TJ Maxx, according to police. They also allegedly hit a Marshall’s in Montgomery County, a Shop Rite in Berlin Township, NJ, a Kohl’s in Cumberland County, and a Boscov’s in Blair County.
In total, police suspect this group stole $19,225.05 in merchandise from all these stores in 14 separate incidents, dating back to May 2023.
According to an affidavit filed by State Police-Schuylkill Haven, on July 11, 2024, the four suspects wanted locally filled backpacks with merchandise from the TJ Maxx and walked out of the store with them.
Police say at about 3:30 p.m., Cartolin-Lume enters the store with a large bag then goes to the beauty department and picks up a black make-up bag. She picks up two make-up items and a small hair care item.
At 3:44 p.m., Cornejo-Serpa enters the store with a handbag. Both she and Cartolin-Lume meet up in the men’s department and start collecting a large amount of clothing and staging it on different racks in that department. They then allegedly used a magnet to remove security sensors.
While removing the sensors, two backpacks are selected among the TJ Maxx merchandise. With the sensors removed and stuff in a make-up bag, the clothing is then stuffed in the backpacks.
Those backpacks were then handed to Cordova-Varona and Arias-Bohorquez, who enter the store shortly after 4 p.m. and then immediately leave with the stolen merchandise. This process is repeated, with the two male suspects leaving the store with two more backpacks at about 4:30 p.m.
Both female suspects then begin selecting more merchandise from the store, including a pair of sneakers and 15 pair of Calvin Klein underwear sets. They then meet in the kids’ department and just before 5 p.m., both men re-enter the store and they all leave together at about 4:50 p.m. At that time, during their third sweep for merchandise, Cartolin-Lume leaves with another backpack full of items.
TJ Maxx employees then find make-up bags with 109 security sensors, 62 ink tags, , 40 alpha alarms, and 7 2-alarms.
While Arias-Bohorquez was detained by police in West Norriton Township in Montgomery County in late-September 2024, he reportedly said that he was having a hard time getting a job in New York and was directed by two men to steal merchandise from stores so that it could be sold in New York.
On Oct. 8, 2024, police say they interviewed Cartolin-Lume at Cumberland County Prison. She told police that in April or May of 2023, she met two men outside a staffing agency. She knew them as Joel, an Ecuadorian national, and Marcos, a Peruvian national.
Cartolin-Lume reportedly said that these men offered her $200 to participate in the retail theft ring. They also gave her $50 for food. Together, they went to four stores and she was instructed to fill bags with merchandise and either place them by the exit or hand them directly to Joel or Marcos.
Joel and Marcos then put her in contact with Hinojosa-Alhua, and she’d continue to operate in the retail theft ring. She was paid between $800-900 each by Hinojosa-Alhua and Joel and Marcos.
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