A warrant was issued last month for James Angelo Campitelli, 43, of 50th block of East Main St, by Hatfield Police.
A Lansdale man with seven retail theft convictions is accused of stealing $331 worth of vaping devices, infused candy and a brownie from a Hatfield Township smoke shop last month.
A warrant was issued last month for James Angelo Campitelli, 43, of 50th block of East Main St, on charges of felony retail theft and receiving stolen property in connection with the alleged Aug. 27 incident.
Campitelli is free on $5,000 unsecured bail, per court records.
On Aug. 27, at 11:29 a.m., police responded to G Smoke vape shop, 1801 N. Broad St., for a late shoplifting report, per the compliant.
The store manager told police an inventory check found six SWFT Icon 7500 Puffs vaping devices, valued at $32.99 each, were unaccounted for, as well as six SMAKD-brand infused rope candies, valued at $19.99 each, and a $19.99 SMAKD-brand 1000mg brownie, totaling a loss of $331.87, per the affidavit.
Surveillance footage showed the items were stolen Aug. 25 between 5:15 p.m. and 5:35 p.m. by a white male in his 40s with a shaved head and multiple arm and hand tattoos, identified as Campitelli, police allege in the complaint.
Police allege Campitelli approached the front counter, where the SWFT Icon vape cartridges are displayed for sale, and placed six of the cartridges in his pockets while the cashier was assisting other customers. Campitelli then took six SMAKD-infused Nerd Ropes-brand 100 candy bars and a SMAKD Blacked Brownie 1000mg cake and pocketed them as well, police said.
Campitelli then made a small purchase and left the store without paying for the items, police said.
The store manager showed photos of the suspect to several regular customers, who identified him as “James,” an employee at Taco Bell on North Broad Street in Hatfield Township, police said.
Police went to the Taco Bell and showed a screenshot of Campitelli to a manager, who positively identified him, per the complaint.
A check of Campitelli’s criminal history found that he pleaded guilty to retail theft seven times and has an open theft case in Hilltown Township, police said.
Several voicemail messages were left for Campitelli, but he did not return calls, police said.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 22 at 10 a.m. before Magisterial District Judge Andrea Duffy.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
