Police: Couple used "sick baby in stroller" ploy to steal from CVS

CLOVER, SC (WBTV) - A New Jersey woman and New York man are behinds bars, Monday, in York County after Clover Police say they were shoplifting at a local CVS, but that's not where the story ends.

Police say the two stole several thousand dollars from eight CVS stores in the metro area. Now investigators believe the two may be in on an even bigger crime ring.

Clover police showed WBTV stolen shaving razors, Rogaine and weight loss products they say Damon Ellis and Courtney Rivera stole from several CVS stores across North and South Carolina.

"We've identified eight other CVS stores that some of the merchandise on the table is linked back to," said Clover Police Department's Captain David Dover.

On Saturday, police say the two used a baby stroller to hide stolen items in from the CVS in Clover.

A manager noticed something suspicious and called the cops.

The two managed to make it to the parking lot before being stopped by police.

Investigators say the two used tin foil and decorative duck tape around reusable shopping bags to hide to stolen goods and put it in the stroller.

"The bag is lined with duck tape and tin foil, so that when the merchandise is put inside the bag, these anti-theft badges are designated to trip the alarm is encased in so much metal that when they exit the store it doesn't trigger the alarm," said Capt. Dover.

The two suspects originally told police there was a sick baby inside the stroller.

That was a lie and the "sick baby" turned out to be $900 of stolen products.

That's when police say they spotted a Dodge Caravan in a nearby parking lot with New Jersey tags.

When cops got search warrants to look inside, they found more than $5,000 in stolen CVS products from both Carolinas.

Police say the two also had a set of master keys on them at the time of arrest that opened lock boxes to fragrance merchandise at CVS stores.

Investigators now believe these two are a part of a crime ring, targeting CVS stores stretching to New York and New Jersey, but that remains under investigation.

"Based off of my law experience and retail theft investigations, they're part of a bigger retail theft ring. This is just a small piece of the pie," said Capt. Dover.

Ellis and Rivera remained in jail Monday night with no bond set.

The pair is facing shoplifting charges along with an unlawful possession of master keys charge for having the set of keys found on them at the time of crime.

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