Local News
The Quincy Police Department formed a task force in response to an uptick in shoplifting and package theft.
A Quincy police task force targeting shoplifters and package thieves resulted in the arrest or summons of 70 people over the last three months, officials announced.
The Quincy Police Department formed the Shoplifting and Package Theft Task Force in the fall of 2024. It consisted of a sergeant and two patrol officers tasked with combating a spike in shoplifting incidents and package thefts in the city. Between October and January, the task force responded to or followed up with 115 calls regarding suspected shoplifting activity.
“As the holiday season approached, the QPD made it a priority to address these rising incidents of shoplifting and package theft,” Quincy police said in a statement. “The officers assigned to this unit were able to forge strong relationships with retail partners through daily meetings with store managers and loss prevention employees.”
The task force collaborated with police officers in Boston, Braintree, Weymouth, Rockland, Holbrook, Avon, Stoughton, Hanover, Swansea, Fall River, and the Massachusetts State Police.
Officials highlighted some of the task force’s work, including the identification of a suspect in a package and cellphone theft ring that is believed to be part of a larger criminal enterprise.
Police also said they obtained an arrest warrant for a food delivery driver who allegedly stole packages while on the job. Officers also arrested a man and woman from Fall River who allegedly rented a UHAUL and stole roughly 30 packages from a residential community.
Police also said they obtained two arrest warrants for a “known West Quincy felon” who allegedly broke into a home and stole packages. That person, who police did not identify, was arrested by the Braintree police on multiple charges after failing to stop for an officer, a motor vehicle violation, on Jan. 4.
“Our department recognizes that strong relationships with our retail partners, surrounding law enforcement agencies and the district court helps curtail retail theft and sends the message that retail theft will not be taken lightly in the City of Quincy,” Quincy Police Chief Mark P. Kennedy said in a statement. “We continue to work proactively to address shoplifting and package thefts in order to reduce victimization and fear of crime in the city.”
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