News

October 28, 2009

Police: Two men kidnap store security officer in seafood, meat heist

EDWARDSVILLE - Two men are charged with kidnapping a store security officer who attempted to stop them from stealing seafood and meat on Tuesday.

Matthew J. DiFebo, 31, of Tobin Lane, Edwardsville, and Todd Junevitz, 31, of Bradley Street, Plymouth, were charged with kidnapping, unlawful restraint, reckless endangerment, retail theft, resisting arrest and criminal conspiracy. DiFebo was further charged with driving with a suspended license.

They were arraigned by District Judge Gerald Feissner in Freeland and jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $50,000 bail each.

According to the criminal complaints:

Redners Warehouse Market security officer Mark Reilly told police that two men, identified as DiFebo and Junevitz, stole baskets of seafood and meat from the store at about 3:35 p.m. Tuesday.

Reilly followed the men outside and grabbed the basket being pulled into a vehicle, the criminal complaint says.

Reilly told police, the criminal complaint says, that he asked the two men to stop the vehicle in which they did on Wyoming Avenue near Valenti's junkyard. Junevitz jumped out of the vehicle and was found hiding under car inside the junkyard.

DiFebo was captured in the parking lot of Redners Warehouse Market.

Police said the value of the seafood and meat the two men allegedly attempted to steal was $450.

DiFebo and Junevitz told police, the criminal complaints say, that they stole the seafood and meat to support drug addictions.

Preliminary hearings are tentatively scheduled on Nov. 4 before District Judge Paul J. Roberts in Kingston.

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