NORTH HAVEN, CT – David L. Pasquariello, 39, and Aileen Johnson, 40, were arrested by state police after returning to the same Home Depot they had previously targeted in a series of thefts. The two suspects were allegedly behind more than 200 thefts across New England, amounting to more than $365,000 in stolen goods.
On Tuesday, state police observed surveillance footage of Pasquariello leaving the Home Depot on Universal Drive with eight boxes of electrical outlets worth over $1,700. This incident led to the identification of Pasquariello and Johnson as the suspects in a larger theft operation.
The two were tracked by a regional organized crime investigator for The Home Depot, who had linked them to the series of thefts. The investigator provided crucial information that Pasquariello and Johnson were operating as a team—Pasquariello would enter the store, quickly grab high-value items like tools, wire, light fixtures, and electrical breakers, and then exit, while Johnson waited outside as the getaway driver in a silver Honda Accord.
Pasquariello, attempting to avoid detection, frequently changed his clothing and altered the car’s license plates. However, when the pair returned to the North Haven Home Depot, police were ready. After Pasquariello exited the store with stolen goods, officers, in coordination with New Haven police, pulled over the silver Honda. Inside, they found the stolen electrical outlets and drug paraphernalia.
Pasquariello, who is from North Haven, faces several charges, including organized retail theft, fourth-degree larceny, drug paraphernalia possession, and operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license. Additionally, he was served warrants for violating probation. He remains in custody at the New Haven Correctional Center with a total bail set at $55,000.
Johnson was issued a misdemeanor summons for conspiracy to commit fourth-degree larceny and was released from the scene.
The Connecticut Attorney General William Tong commented on the widespread issue of organized retail crime, noting that such crimes cost the U.S. over $121 billion annually. He emphasized the need for action to combat these sophisticated criminal operations that harm retail workers and drive up prices.
