Three people are awaiting arraignment in Wareham District Court following their arrest on shoplifting charges.
It stems from an incident on Friday morning when Wareham Police received a call about two males in the parking lot of Aldi’s, removing television sets from boxes that had just been stolen from Walmart.
When officers responded to the scene the suspects jumped in their vehicle and sped off, heading onto Route 195 West, into Mattapoisett, exiting at North Street towards Rochester. Pursuing officers lost sight of the vehicle and discontinued pursuit. However, shortly after that, Rochester Police located the vehicle abandoned on Pine Street. A witness advised the officers that a female and two males fled in different directions. Multiple police agencies were now involved in the pursuit and within thirty minutes the three were apprehended.
The three - Joseph Debenedictis, 27, of Dorchester, Paul Leite Jr., 25, of Fall River, and Erikka Williams, 25, of East Falmouth were charged with Shoplifting in excess of $250.
Debenedictis was also charged with Failure to Stop for Police, Reckless Operation of a Motor Vehicle, Passing on the Right, and Speeding.