Lynn man arrested in alleged shoe caper

LYNN – A Lynn man allegedly lifted more than 300 pairs of shoes from his job at Stride Rite in Lexington and then sold them for cheap at a city flea market, according to police.Arnaldo Santini, 29, of 39 Orchid St., was arrested by Lexington Police Saturday on a warrant for larceny from a building over $250. He was arraigned Monday at Concord District Court and released on personal recognizance. Santini is due back in court for a pre-trial hearing on Sept. 26.The investigation into the alleged theft began six weeks ago, according to Lt. Det. Michael McLean, when a security official from Collective Brands, the parent company of Stride Rite Corporation, came to the Lexington police with a tip.?He said an employee was suspected of stealing shoes and the detective bureau got involved,” McLean said.Search and arrest warrants were requested and granted after McLean said surveillance tape from the store showed the suspect stealing. Santini was also suspected of allegedly selling the 355 pairs of stolen Saucony and Stride Rite brand shoes at a flea market in Lynn, which McLean said have a wholesale value of approximately $21,000.On Saturday, the search warrant was conducted at the market, where McLean said women?s shoes, men?s running shoes, baby and infant shoes were for sale.?They were on sale markedly lower than would they would go for retail,” McLean said. “The (sale) turned out to be a little bigger than we had expected.”Santini worked quality control for the store, located at 191 Spring St., where an internal investigation is currently under way. McLean said the police side of the investigation may lead to further charges.