LEOMINSTER – On Tuesday, July 28, 2026, at approximately 10:22 a.m., Leominster Police Officer Laurinda Dion responded to the Hannaford at 118 Lancaster Street following a report of a past shoplifting incident.
(The account and quotations in this article were sourced from the printed Personnel Narratives of Officers Laurinda Dion and Tanner Jakola and do not reflect any political perspective or personal opinion of News Link Live, which is strictly a business entity.)
When Officer Dion arrived on scene, she spoke with a loss prevention associate who reported that a man had come into the store on July 26 around 12:30 p.m. and stole a package of lobster and another of steak.
“[The loss prevention associate] provided the video footage of the unknown male party selecting the lobster meat and then a steak; the male then turned down an aisle where he is visible concealing the items in his pockets,” Officer Dion said. “The male then exited the store, passing all points of sale without stopping and paying for the concealed items. The total loss is $55.79.”
The loss prevention associate told Officer Dion that the same man came into the store on July 16 and stole lobster in the same manner.
Officer Dion told the loss prevention associate to call Leominster police immediately if the man returns to the store so a trespass order can be issued.
“I sent a photo of the male party to outreach and posted a photo in the report room in an attempt to ID him,” Officer Dion said.
On Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026, at approximately 11:40 a.m., Leominster Police Officer Tanner Jakola was dispatched to the Hannaford at 118 Lancaster Street following a report of a customer in the store who had previously shoplifted.
“Asset protection wished to have the male trespassed,” Officer Jakola said. “While en route, dispatch advised the customer had just shoplifted and walked out of the store. Dispatch described the suspect as a white male wearing a baseball hat, gray shirt, and cargo shorts.”
When Officer Jakola arrived on scene, he said he saw Officer Caulin Salvi handcuffing the suspect, who was later identified as Eric Salafia.
According to police, Eric Salafia, 58, is a resident of Leominster, MA.
A loss prevention associate and another Hannaford employee were standing near Salafia, Officer Jakola said.
“The employee had merchandise in his hands and advised the suspect had dropped it after leaving the store,” Officer Jakola said. “[The loss prevention associate] wished to trespass Eric, stating he had shoplifted from this store multiple times in the past.”
Officer Jakola asked the loss prevention associate what transpired that day, and the associate reported that Salafia had taken multiple items from the store, placed them into his pockets, and walked past the store’s points of sale without paying.
“At this point, Eric was in the back of Officer Salvi’s cruiser and was advised he was under arrest for shoplifting,” Officer Jakola said.
Officer Salvi found an open bag of pistachios in Salafia’s shorts pocket. Dispatch advised that Salafia had an active warrant out for his arrest as well.
Officer Salvi transported Salafia to the Leominster Police Department for booking.
Officer Jakola then went inside Hannaford and spoke with the loss prevention associate who said that this was the fourth or fifth time Salafia had shoplifted from the store, and until today, she was unable to identify him.
“She reported two shopliftings on July 26 and August 6. Eric shoplifted on August 12 as well, but that had not yet been reported,” Officer Jakola said. “[The loss prevention associate] wished to press charges for the past shopliftings.”
The loss prevention associate then brought Officer Jakola to her office to review surveillance footage.
“Another employee was inside [the office], and when [the loss prevention associate] told him the male party had been arrested, he exclaimed, ‘He’s been killing us for three months!’” Officer Jakola said.
The loss prevention associate then showed Officer Jakola surveillance footage from that day, which he said shows Salafia in the store pick out a steak, then head over to the seafood section and pick out some salad shrimp. Salafia then walks around the store and eventually places the items in his pockets before passing all points of sale and exiting the store.
“[The loss prevention associate] and another employee follow him out of the store and tell him the cops are on the way,” Officer Jakola said. “Eric takes out the merchandise and throws it on the ground. Officer Salvi then arrives on scene and detains Eric.”
The loss prevention associate gave Officer Jakola a mock receipt from that day’s shoplifting incident.
“Eric shoplifted the following: Organic flap meat: $19.52, pistachios: $8.59, and cooked salad shrimp: $4.99 for a total of $33.10,” Officer Jakola said. “[The loss prevention associate] did wish to trespass Eric for life from the store. Since Police transported Eric to the station prior to Frances being able to trespass him on scene, I advised her I would trespass him. When I got back to the station, I advised Eric he was trespassed from Hannaford (118 Lancaster St.) for life. He understood.”
Eric Salafia, 58, of Leominster, was charged with the following:
- Warrant Arrest
- Shoplifting by Concealing Merchandise
Officer Jakola said he found two reports documenting prior shoplifting incidents at the Hannaford on Lancaster Street. The first was filed by Officer Michael Dingman on July 18, 2026, and the second was filed by Officer Dion in connection with a shoplifting incident that occurred on July 28, 2026.
“I reviewed videos and images of the above cases and can confirm Eric is the suspect in both,” Officer Jakola said. “Officer Dingman and Dion were emailed with this information.”
After Officer Dion was notified by Officer Jakola via email that the shoplifting suspect had been identified as Salafia following the shoplifting incident where he was arrested on Aug. 20, she issued Salafia a summons charging him with shoplifting by concealment in connection with the incident on July 26, 2026.
Salafia’s arraignment for the incident on Aug. 20 was scheduled for 2:00 p.m. that day in Leominster District Court. His arraignment for the summons issued for the incident on July 26 was scheduled for Sept. 10, 2026, in Leominster District Court.
Disclaimer: If you are wondering why the incident in this story initially took place in July, that’s because I had to file FOIA request(s) to obtain the court documents. FOIAs are time-consuming.
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