BERNARDSTON — A 22-year-old Shelburne Falls man was arrested Monday night after police say he stole more than $330 from a cash register at the Sunoco gas station on Church Street.
Carl Mazzamaro was arraigned in Greenfield District Court Tuesday on charges of larceny over $250, larceny from a building and breaking into a depository.
According to a report by Bernardston Police Officer Bryn Rabtor, police were advised around 9:20 p.m. Monday that money was reportedly taken from the gas station’s cash register. A gas station employee said he left for about 2 minutes to smoke a cigarette and during that time, the register had been entered and money was removed.
The employee told police that a thin, white man driving a white sedan had been there for about four hours, claiming to use Wi-Fi. An employee at the Dunkin’ Donuts in the gas station said he also noticed the man, who was driving a white Nissan.
Rabtor noted in his report that 15 minutes before receiving the call about the larceny, he saw a white Nissan sedan known to have been involved in criminal activity throughout the county earlier in the day driving on South Street. He followed it into the parking lot of the Four Leaf Clover Restaurant. According to the report, Rabtor stood by to make sure everyone in the vehicle — which was driven by Mazzamaro — made arrangements to get home safely, and was told by one occupant that they were going to drop Mazzamaro off at the bus station in Greenfield.
After reviewing video footage of the alleged theft, which shows a male entering the gas station, pressing buttons on the register and quickly removing money, and getting witness statements, Rabtor advised Greenfield police that Mazzamaro was suspected of having stolen money and asked them to locate him at the bus station.
Greenfield and state police made contact with Mazzamaro, who denied any involvement in the theft. They located $335 behind a construction vehicle near where the car Mazzamaro had been traveling in was parked, and he was placed under arrest.
According to the report, Mazzamaro apologized for lying while being put in the cruiser.
Bail was set at $10,000 following his arrest, which Mazzamaro was unable to post and was transported to the Franklin County jail.
Bail was set at $2,000 cash without prejudice during his arraignment and Mazzamaro was ordered to remain drug-free with screens. He is due back in court Oct. 27 for a pretrial conference.