CHELSEA — A Chelsea man with five outstanding warrants was arraigned last month in Chelsea District Court after allegedly stealing merchandise from a Dollar Tree store and assaulting an employee before fleeing, according to a press release from the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office dated March 4, 2025.
Robert Mazzeo Jr., 41, was charged with unarmed robbery and assault and battery. Prosecutors sought to have his bail revoked due to existing warrants, which include pending shoplifting and larceny cases. Judge Amanda Ward set bail at $250, and Mazzeo is scheduled to return to court on March 14 for a pre-trial hearing.
The incident occurred on February 11 at approximately 2:22 p.m. when Chelsea police responded to a shoplifting call at the Dollar Tree located at 1090 Revere Beach Parkway. The store manager reported that a man, later identified as Mazzeo, had filled multiple bags with merchandise and attempted to leave without paying. When the manager intervened, Mazzeo allegedly punched him in the face and pushed him against a wall before fleeing.
Officers noted minor bruising on the manager’s left eye. Mazzeo dropped the stolen items before escaping in a blue Toyota sedan with an unidentified female. Video footage from the store captured the altercation, corroborating the manager’s statement. Chelsea police recognized Mazzeo from the footage and secured a warrant for his arrest. The recovered merchandise, valued at just over $200, was returned to the store.
“We want workers to be safe in their workplaces and shoppers to be safe in their shopping spaces. Retail crimes hurt everyone—sometimes physically, as in this case, and always from an economic and access angle, not just for the stores involved but the shoppers too, especially when stores close or when frequently-stolen items are locked up,” District Attorney Kevin Hayden said.
In 2024, Hayden’s office, the Boston Police Department, regional retailer groups, and small business owners launched the Safe Shopping Initiative, an effort to enhance consumer safety and assist store managers in addressing retail theft. The initiative was created in response to increasing concerns over retail crime, as well as the closure of several pharmacies in minority communities in Boston.
