Off-duty police chief shops for carpet, catches thieves

Police Chief William Bilinski had just purchased some brown outdoor carpet on July 24 when he noticed something suspicious going on in the parking lot of Lowe’s, according to a story in the Times-Tribune of Scranton, Pa. Four people were sitting in a vehicle just outside the store; after they moved the vehicle in front of the garden center, two of the occupants went inside.

The head of the Dickson City police force loaded his wife, kids and carpet into his car and then watched a woman walk past the garden center checkout counter with a large tool kit. She got into the vehicle and the group took off.

Bilinski took down the license plate, called the local cops and followed the vehicle on to the Interstate, when he called state police. Soon after state troopers caught up with the suspects and found the tool chest, valued at $329, plus a package of meat that was believed to be stolen.

All four will be charged with retail theft and conspiracy to commit retail theft, according to the newspaper report.