Pair accused of Square One Mall shoplifting

SAUGUS – Police said two Boston women have been charged with shoplifting after officers found the suspects with more than $6,000 worth of merchandise allegedly stolen from stores in Maine and Saugus.”This was a total team effort,” Saugus Police Chief Domenic DiMella said in a press release. “Loss prevention at the stores brought this to our attention, our patrol units responded quickly and our Saugus Police detectives put together an excellent case that has shut down an interstate shoplifting effort.”Ana Oliveira, 44, and Melissa Lopes, 32, both of Boston, were arrested Friday and each charged with larceny over $250 and receiving stolen property over $250. Additional charges may be pending, police said.Workers at the Square One Mall notified police Friday evening that two women were stealing items from several stores at the mall, bringing the merchandise out to a vehicle and then returning to the mall to steal more items, police said.Police said Oliveira and Lopes had more than $800 in stolen merchandise in their possession when caught, and officers saw a large amount of goods in Oliveira’s vehicle which were believed to be stolen from stores at the mall and from outlet stores in Kittery, Maine.Police later determined that the women had allegedly stolen items from 15 different stores in Saugus and Kittery. Officers recovered 435 items valued at more than $6,000 in total.The suspects are scheduled to be arraigned today in Lynn District Court.