Police: $50,000 in stolen goods used to run makeshift Rite Aid

FALLS TWP., Pa. (WPVI) -- Nearly $50,000 worth of merchandise was stolen from a Rite Aid warehouse in Bucks County and police say the stolen goods were used to run a makeshift store in the basement of a home.

36-year-old Juan Agosto, of Hunting Park, is the alleged operator of the makeshift store.

Police say he and Edwin Burgos maintained a well-stocked convenience store in the basement of a home.

Inside you could find everything from shampoos, hand lotions, razors, baby products and more.

"The detectives were amazed at the sophistication of the operation," said Lt Henry Ward, Fairless Hills Police.

Police say the merchandise, worth upwards of $50,000, had been stolen from a warehouse in Falls Township.

According to investigators, it appears the men had a deal with Miguel Ortiz, who drove trucks to and from the warehouse on Geoffrey Road in Fairless Hills.

Police say a loss prevention officer for the company, who was investigating losses in inventory, saw Ortiz park his truck in a darkened parking lot Thursday night on Canal Road.

The officer also said she saw merchandise being taken from the Rite Aid truck and loaded into a green Dodge pickup truck which police say was occupied by Agosto and Burgos.

"They admitted that they had bought the merchandise from the truck driver of the Rite Aid tractor-trailer," said Lt. Ward.

Police say they paid Ortiz $400 for $2,000-$3,000 worth of merchandise and they sold the products a lot cheaper than what they normally retail for.

Authorities say Burgos was so concerned about being robbed that he fortified the front of his home and put in an elaborate surveillance system.

"You can see in some of the photos that he had better surveillance than probably Rite Aid pharmacies have in their own stores. He had video cameras everywhere so he could see everything that was going on in the basement from upstairs in the house," said Lt. Ward.

Among neighbors in the area, there was surprise and shock when they heard the news.

"Shock, I'm shocked you know because I live right next door, almost next door to them and I didn't see nothing coming in or coming out," said Steve Adams, neighbor.

One resident says she couldn't possibly understand how shoppers at the makeshift store didn't know the merchandise was stolen.

"You know when you're buying stolen merchandise because it's saying Rite Aid on the labels. I would think that the store labels are on the products so how could you not know that you're purchasing illegal goods," said Stephanie Evans.

For anyone who did buy products from the store, it was all captured on surveillance video.

"It was very nice of them to get great surveillance tapes that they did because now we have them so, we'll see who was in there, who was moving around," said Lt. Ward.

Police expect that there will be more arrests.

As for Ortiz, Burgos and Agosto, they face a number of theft charges.