Christoper Lamontai Smith, 32, of Suitland, and Keon Rondell Mathis, 35, of Clinton
Deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office were called to Lowe’s in the 45000 block of Worth Avenue in California on Thursday, June 18, at about 1:39 p.m. for a reported shoplifting.
Upon arrival, it was reported that a male subject entered the store, placed various tools and equipment items in a shopping cart, and left without paying.
During the investigation, store asset management advised that the same suspect had also stolen a toolkit and a nail gun from the store during a separate incident on Saturday, June 14. In both incidents, the suspect was reported to have left the area in a black BMW coupe, which was determined to be registered to Christoper Lamontai Smith, 32, of Suitland, MD.
Later, on June 18, at about 2:24 p.m., a deputy responded to Aldi in the 44000 block of Oak Crest Road in California for a theft report and was told that a subject had loaded multiple food and household items into a shopping cart and left the store in a black BMW.
A short time later, a patrol deputy located the vehicle near the 23000 block of Mervell Dean Road in Hollywood and attempted to initiate a traffic stop. Initially, the driver pulled over onto the shoulder, then continued southbound briefly before stopping.
Merchandise, reported stolen during the June 18 incidents from Lowe’s and Aldi, was located in the vehicle’s trunk.
The passenger, Keon Rondell Mathis, 35, of Clinton, Maryland, was arrested and charged with a theft scheme of $1,500 to less than $25,000 and two counts of theft of less than $100 to under $1,500.
Smith, the driver, was arrested and charged with two counts of theft of at least $100 but less than $1,500 and one count of fleeing and eluding.
At the conclusion of the investigation, at the request of Aldi store management, the recovered food and household items were donated to a local food bank.
