Man Steals $3,200 in Hair Products from Giant stores: Police

By Jack Tobias

During July and August, a Lower Saucon man stole more than $3,200 in hair products from four area Giant supermarkets, sometimes hitting two or three stores a day, court records say.

Scott S. Smith, who was tracked down with the help of surveillance video and a Giant loss-prevention official, admitted to police in mid-August that he stole from area Giant stores, the records say.

Police identified the store locations as Trexlertown, Allentown, Quakertown and Hellertown.

On one occasion, surveillance video shows him inside a store with a woman whom the records say "is unknown at this time."

The case, handled by state polce at Fogelsville, has been consolidated in Lehigh County. An arrest warrant for Smith was approved Nov. 27 and he was arraigned Sunday morning.

A criminal complaint filed by Trooper Justin Summa gives the following details for the alleged thefts. The amounts all refer to the value of hair products allegedly stolen:

—$484.93, July 6 at 1:15 a.m., Giant in Trexlertown.

—$259.86, Aug. 4 at 8:30 p.m., Giant in Hellertown.

—$781.92, Aug. 4, 9:45 p.m., Giant in Trexlertown.

—$489.69, Aug. 4, 10:08 p.m., Giant in Allentown (the location is not specified).

—$621.62, Aug. 6, shortly after midnight, Giant in Quakertown.

—$582.15, Aug. 6, 1:30 a.m., Giant in Hellertown.

The total amount, according to Summa, is $3,220.17.

Summa writes that he got onto the case Aug. 5 in response to the Aug. 4 incident at the Trexlertown store. The store's loss-prevention official said video showed Smith and the woman inside the store, leaving without paying, then going to a green 1999 Dodge Caravan with Pennsylvania plates.

At a later date, the Giant official told Summa about thefts at other Giant stores that were caught on video.

Smith was interviewed at 11:20 a.m. Aug. 17 by Quakertown Patrolman Kris Bacari. Smith admitted to thefts from several area Giant stores, Summa writes.

Smith, of 2012 Leithsville Road (Route 412), was charged with six counts of retail theft, a level-three felony. He was arraigned by on-duty District Judge Wayne Maura of Bethlehem and released on $10,000 unsecured bail.