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Three men charged in Carbon theft plot

Three men face multiple charges after a theft and attempted theft from Lowe’s in Mahoning Township this month.

The men, who are jailed in the Carbon County Correctional Facility in lieu of $75,000 bail, were also seen on security footage attempting similar thefts at the Lowe’s in Pottsville, arrest papers said.

District Judge Casimir Kosciolek arraigned Angel Luis Rodriguez, 20, of Shenandoah; and Yofreinx Carrion-Taveraz, 22, and Diony Ulerio De Los Santos, 22, both unknown addresses, Thursday afternoon.

Rodriguez and Carrion-Taveraz were charged with retail theft and conspiracy for thefts from the Lowe’s on Blakeslee Boulevard July 11, and criminal attempt-retail theft and conspiracy for attempted thefts from the store on Thursday morning.

Ulerio De Los Santos was charged with criminal attempt, conspiracy and access device fraud in Thursday’s attempted theft.

Kosciolek set bail at $75,000 for all three men.

According to court papers, Carrion-Taveraz entered the Lowe’s on July 11 and presented his phone to pick up an online order placed under the name of Jeshua Patrick of Kannapolis, North Carolina. The alternate pickup person was changed to Miguel Angel Soto.

Carrion-Taveraz presented an identification matching the name on the order. He was given three of the items on the order, two portable air conditioners and a gas range hookup valued at $1,179.98, court papers said.

He left the store with the items, and a silver Ford Ranger with two occupants pulled up, and a passenger, Rodriguez, got out of the truck and loaded the items, court papers said. An unidentified driver stayed in the vehicle.

Carrion-Taveraz went into the store to wait for the range, and an employee explained that they needed to wait for a fraud check. Carrion-Taveraz left the store without the range and without paying for the other items, court papers said.

All three drove away with the merchandise.

In the second incident on July 27, Ulerio De Los Santos arrived at the Lowe’s in a Ford Ranger, exited the passenger side and lowered the truck’s tailgate.

He entered the store and said he was there to pick up an online order of flooring valued at $6,023.52 under the name of Robert Barkanic. Ulerio De Los Santos said it was a professional contractor order, and showed a photograph of a man holding a Pennsylvania driver’s license with a name matching the one on the order, court papers said.

The store showed no records of that professional contractor, and an employee knew of an incident the day before involving Ulerio De Los Santos, in which he attempted to purchase items but was denied, court papers said.

The employee notified police. The occupants of the truck were Carrion-Taveraz and Rodriguez, who were apprehended after leaving on foot. Ulerio De Los Santos was stopped driving the vehicle as he left the scene, court papers said.

Ulerio De Los Santos told police that he got a call to pick up stuff and he dropped it off at a public place, court papers said. He did not know who contacted him, and could provide no names or numbers.

Ulerio De Los Santos said he lived in Shenandoah, but records showed the address didn’t exist, court papers said.

Carrion-Taveraz denied knowing about Thursday’s incident, and when shown a picture of himself entering the Lowe’s, he admitted to taking the air conditioners, court papers said. He did not know where they went, he told police.

Carrion-Taveraz said he lived with Rodriguez, but a woman at the address did not know him, court papers said.

Rodriguez initially denied involvement, but then admitted to picking up the air conditioners, but didn’t know what was going on, court papers said. He told police that did not know anything about Thursday’s incident.