Police Log

The Police Log is a digest of reports provided by the Johnston Police Department.

SHOPLIFTING

A suspect who recently told officers, “It was me, man, I took the food. I have no money, what the hell else am I supposed to do,” was recently arrested for allegedly shoplifting from the Commerce Way Stop & Shop.

On March 13 at 1:47 p.m., patrol units responded to the supermarket in response to a shoplifting that had just occurred. According to Patrolman Adam Parkinson’s report, dispatch had advised that the two white male suspects had left the store’s parking lot in a tan Lincoln, and were last seen traveling south on Atwood Avenue.

According to the complainant, at approximately 1:40 p.m., store workers observed a heavy-set balding white male wheel a full carriage past all registers without paying and then exit to the parking lot. They advised that they knew the groceries had not been paid for and observed but did not approach the suspect as he loaded them into the trunk. The suspect was then seen entering the passenger side of the Lincoln before it drove away.

Utilizing the car’s license plate number to obtain an address, Officer Patrolman Derek Parascandolo then responded to the residence, where he observed the suspect vehicle parked in the driveway with its trunk open holding an assortment of groceries and two males standing next to the passenger side of the vehicle. As he approached the men, one of them, later identified as Steven J. Cruso, 46, of 1360 Atwood Avenue in Johnston, put his head down and admitted taking the food.

Cruso then said “I got warrants too, man, I’m sorry,” and told officers that the other suspect had no knowledge that the groceries were stolen or that he intended to steal them. Background checks revealed that Cruso had three outstanding warrants, for misdemeanor shoplifting out of Lincoln, a Superior Court warrant stemming from a conspiracy/felony charge, and a Sixth District Court warrant from a possession of a weapon (not a firearm) charge out of Providence.

After being taken into custody without incident and transported to police headquarters, he was processed, read his rights and allowed to make a phone call. Stop & Shop wished to pursue a criminal complaint against Cruso for the stolen groceries, valued at $123.76. Due to Cruso having a prior shoplifting charge and this offense being over $100 worth of merchandise stolen, he was charged with felony shoplifting.

Cruso was later arraigned before Justice of the Peace Lazieh and released on $10,000 personal recognizance with a May 15 Third District Court date. He was then transported to the ACI as he could not afford the total bail for the outstanding three warrants.

DISTURBANCE

On March 19 around 4:39 p.m., Patrolmen Louis Cotoia and Derrick Palazzo responded to 20 Jackson Avenue Apt. A for a report of a possible disturbance.

There he was met by Carrie Gruttadauria, 43, of the above address, who stated that her boyfriend, who she had been having ongoing issues with, was not at the residence and she was just moving items that may have caused a third party to call on a possible disturbance.

Background checks on Gruttadauria revealed that she had an active warrant out of the Third District Court for failure to appear. Gruttadauria was placed under arrest without incident, searched and transported to police headquarters. She was then processed and held pending arraignment.

HIT AND RUN

Lieutenant Joseph Salvadore and Patrolman Matthew Rado responded to 11 Lincoln Avenue Apt. 6 in Cranston to locate the operator involved in a hit and run accident that had just occurred in Johnston. At the scene, they were able to locate the registered owner of the vehicle, identified as Nicole Polion, 24, of the above address.

According to the report, Polion appeared to be upset and nervous and admitted she was the operator of the vehicle that left the scene because she was nervous. Polion was placed under arrest for leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident to an attended vehicle and then read her rights. Her vehicle was then observed to have minor damage in the area of the front license plate bracket. She was then transported to Johnston Police Headquarters to be processed.

At the station, Polion filled out a witness statement about the accident and leaving the scene. She was processed and later arraigned before a justice of the peace and released on $1,000 personal recognizance with a Sixth District Court hearing.

UPDATED POLICE DEPARTMENT SCHEDULE

The rabies clinic that was scheduled for March 26 has been postponed until further notice.

There will be no vehicle identification number checks conducted on Tuesday, March 28 and Thursday, March 30.