Crime & Safety

Stolen Items Worth $450K Found in Storage Facility

Belle Mead man one of two charged in theft of designer clothing, perfume and bedding.

Two men—one from Belle Mead—were arrested after more than $450,000 in stolen merchandise from a major department store distribution center was recovered Tuesday at a self-storage center in Hillsborough, State Police said Thursday.

Vincente Ponsoda, 56, of Belle Mead, was charged with second-degree theft and second-degree receiving stolen property.

Konstantinos Hantsoulis, 38, of Highland Park, was charged with second-degree theft.

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Members of the New Jersey State Police Cargo Theft Unit recovered more than $450,000 in goods stolen from a major department store distribution center in Secaucus, State Police said. The stolen items included designer clothing, high-end perfume and bedding, State Police said.

In October 2010, State Police Det. Freddy Araujo led an investigation into a pattern of ongoing thefts noticed by the retailer, State Police said.

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According to the State Police, Hantsoulis was a merchandise representative at the department store distribution center and handled misdirected freight, which are items sent to the department store by mistake.

Instead of sending the misdirected items back to the appropriate owners, Hantsoulis allegedly arranged for the items to be picked up by Ponsoda in a rental truck, State Police said.

Ponsoda then allegedly sold the merchandise at flea markets, State Police said.

Search warrants were executed Tuesday at several units in a self-storage facility in Hillsborough rented by Ponsoda, State Police said. State Police did not indicate what facility was used.

Detectives located a large amount of stolen merchandise from several major retailers valued at more than $450,000, State Police said.

Ponsoda was released pending court appearances in Secaucus and Hillsborough.

Hantsoulis was released pending a court appearance in Secaucus.


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