SOMERVILLE — On Wednesday, March 13, 2024, at 11:42 a.m., Sergeant Samir Messaoudi of the Somerville Police Department was dispatched to the Target on Somerville Avenue after an employee in Target’s Loss Prevention Department reported two people leaving the store with a shopping cart full of stolen merchandise.
(The account and quotations in this article were taken from a summary of the incident written by Officer Thomas Lambert and posted to the Somerville Police Department’s weekly arrest log.)
When Sgt. Messaoudi arrived on scene, he spoke with the reporting party from Target’s Loss Prevention Office, who said the couple left the store with a shopping cart and headed toward a gray Honda parked next to a white vehicle in the parking lot.
According to Officer Lambert, Sgt. Messaoudi located the suspect – later identified as Isiah Davis – who was placing Target shopping bags into the trunk of a gray Honda. The female suspect, later identified as Daveyon Tatum, was sitting in a black Ford Fusion in the middle of the parking lot conversing with Isiah through the window of her vehicle.
Isiah Davis, 22, is a resident of Weldon Street in Dorchester.
Daveyon Tatum, 21, is a resident of 9 Metcalf Ct. 692 in Boston.
Sgt. Messaoudi approached Davis and informed him about the report from Target.
When Officers Lambert and Patrick Barton arrived on scene to assist, Tatum exited her vehicle and approached them, denying any wrongdoing.
“Speaking with Loss Prevention employee [name redacted], I learned that Isiah and Tatum had selected merchandise and proceeded to the self-checkout,” Officer Lambert said. “While Tatum scanned some items, Isiah was observed placing unscanned items in bags. Despite [the loss prevention associate’s] offer of assistance, the two left the store without paying, with stolen items valued at $416.57.”
Davis opened the trunk of his vehicle at the officers’ request. Police then retrieved the stolen merchandise and returned it to Target.
“Both Isiah and Tatum were asked to accompany us to the Loss Prevention Office for identification and issuance of trespass notice,” Officer Lambert said. “While Isiah complied, Tatum refused. I placed Tatum in handcuffs and informed her that she was under arrest. Officer Barton placed Isiah in handcuffs and informed him that he was under arrest.”
Davis and Tatum were transported to the Somerville Police Department and booked for Larceny under $1200. Both were trespassed from the Somerville Target.
“I would like to note that Tatum’s vehicle, MA REG [number redacted] was parked in the middle of the Target parking lot, blocking other vehicles from leaving,” Officer Lambert said. “To prevent a tow, Tatum asked a random passerby to move her vehicle into a parking spot. I did not think this would be in the best interest of Tatum, as she was leaving her keys and vehicle to a person she did not know and was not known to us.”
Officer Lambert requested Stephen’s Towing to respond and tow Tatum’s vehicle.
