South Windsor Police: Man Caught Shoplifting $234 Worth of Chewing Gum

A Hartford man is in a sticky situation and faces several charges for allegedly trying to shoplift over $200 worth of chewing gum from the Target store on Buckland Hills Drive on Tuesday.

According to a press release from the South Windsor police department, Barry Gholson, 54, was arrested after security officers at the store saw Gholson conceal chewing gum estimated to be worth $234 in a duffel bag and attempt to leave without paying for it.

Police officers, according to the release, found Gholson allegedly in possession of a syringe used to inject heroin.

In a telephone interview, Sgt. Scott Custer said that there is a secondary market for chewing gum, baby formula and energy drinks; people shoplift those items in relative bulk and re-sell them to convenience stores at pennies on the dollar.

"They will re-sell say $230 of chewing gum for $20," Custer said. "The storekeeper is happy because his overhead is lower."

Gholson was charged with larceny in the sixth degree and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was later released on a $500 surety bond.  He is scheduled to appear at Manchester Superior Court on Sept. 13.

In a similar, but unrelated case, Malgorzata Ingraham, 50, of Hartford, was charged with conspiracy to commit sixth degree larceny after she allegedly attempted to shoplift $45 worth of baby formula from Target on Tuesday.

She was later released on a $5,000 non-surety bond and is scheduled to appear at Manchester Superior Court on Sept. 13.