NY Men Caught Distracting Worker, Stealing Home Depot Hardware, Cops Say

Cops have arrested two men who they say were caught on camera stealing $1,400 worth of hardware from the Mahwah Home Depot by distracting one of the store’s employees.

According to a release Monday afternoon from Mahwah Police Chief Jim Batelli, surveillance footage showed Robert Bogdanovic of Elmhurst, NY, and Rene Ruggio of Lindenhurst, NY, inside the store Saturday evening.

“A review of the video [showed the two] removing [items] from an upper shelf using a ladder and one individual distracting a Home Depot employee while the other exited the store with the items,” Batelli said.

The two allegedly loaded two Bosch power hammer drills worth over $700 a piece into their 2004 Chevrolet Explorer and drove to a gas station on Route 17.

Home Depot’s loss prevention manager, who noticed the theft, followed the Chevy and called the police, Batelli said.

Cops met up with the New York men and the store manager at the gas station, where an interview with the two men revealed conflicting stories of why they were in Mahwah, and a search of the car yielded the two hammers with Home Depot price tags on them, and no receipt for the items, Batelli said.

Cops also found an outstanding warrant out on Bogdanovic for contempt of court out of North Wildwood, police said.

Bogdonavic was arrested on the outstanding warrant, and both were charged with conspiracy and shoplifting, police said. Bogdanovic posted bail on the outstanding warrant, cops said.