SOMERVILLE — On Sunday, May 5, 2024, at approximately 7:30 p.m., off-duty Sergeant Samir Messaoudi of the Somerville Police Department observed a man loading multiple bags and boxes of razors into a shopping cart at the Target on 180 Somerville Avenue. The man then pushed the cart a few aisles down where he concealed the items in his backpack.
(The account and quotations in this article were sourced from a summary of the incident written by Officer Brian Pavao and do not reflect any political perspective or personal opinion of News Link Live, which is strictly a business entity.)
The male suspect then left the store without paying and was followed by Sergeant Messaoudi, who saw him meet with a man and a woman, the latter of whom the sergeant had seen in the store. The trio then began sorting the stolen items and packing them into bags.
Sgt. Messaoudi then called Officer Brian Pavao, who was on duty at the time.
“The sergeant contacted me by phone and relayed his observations, reporting the group’s movement towards the train station,” Officer Pavao said. “I responded to the area and stopped the three individuals near the intersection of Allen Street and Charlestown Street.”
Officers Alexander Lorenti and Patrick Barton responded as backup.
One of the male suspect’s whose name was redacted in the report, had $602.52 worth of stolen merchandise from Target in a reusable bag. Officer Pavao advised the man that he will be seeking a criminal complaint against him for Larceny Under $1,200.
The female, who initially provided false identification to police, was later identified as Reanna Coblyn. Coblyn was in possession of $94.83 stolen merchandise. Officer Pavao advised Coblyn that she was going to be charged with Receiving Stolen Property Under $1,200.
Reanna Coblyn also had two outstanding warrants: one from the Boston Police Department for two counts of Possessing a Class B Drug, and another from New Bedford for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Assault and Battery.
The third individual, who also initially provided false information, but was identified as Carlos Ortiz, had an outstanding warrant and was in possession of stolen merchandise valued at $128.18.
According to police, Carlos Ortiz, 51, is homeless in Dorchester.
“I placed Ortiz under arrest, Officer Lorenti placed Coblyn under arrest,” Officer Pavao said. “During a search incident to arrest, Officer Barton discovered a pouch on Ortiz’s waistline containing 23 baggies of packaged narcotics. Based on my training and experience, the number of individually wrapped bags appear to intended for distribution purposes. Eight contained a brown powdery substance believed to be heroin, and 15 baggies contained a white rocky substance believed to be crack cocaine, resulting in additional charges.”
The three individuals arrested were transported to the Somerville Police Station for booking, the stolen merchandise was returned to Target, and the confiscated drugs were secured as evidence, Officer Pavao said.
Officer Pavao charged Ortiz with the following:
- Receive Stolen Property -$1200
- Possess to Distribute Class A Drug
- Possess to Distribute Class B Drug
Ortiz’s warrant charges from the Boston Police Department at the time of his arrest:
- Possess Class A Drug
- Possess to Distribute Class B Drug
- Possess Class B Drug
