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Hartford Store Owner, Employee Charged With Re-Selling Stolen Items, Cops Say

A Connecticut convenience owner and his employee were arrested for allegedly re-selling items that were stolen from other businesses.

Kashif M. Khalifa and Homesh Pulipati and some of the merchandise found in the store.

Kashif M. Khalifa and Homesh Pulipati and some of the merchandise found in the store.

Photo Credit: Connecticut State Police

The arrests took place in Hartford County at Smokey's convenience store located at 825A Main Street, in Hartford.

Members of the Connecticut State Police's organized crime task force executed a search and seizure warrant at Smokey's after a three-month investigation into alleged organized retail theft activity at the location, said the state police.

State police said investigators learned that Smokey's was repeatedly purchasing stolen items brought to the store by shoplifters and then reselling the items on their shelves.

The complaint was originally brought to state police by CVS after it was suspected that a significant amount of stolen product from their store was being resold at Smokey's. 

During the investigation, the stolen product was routinely spotted being brought to Smokey's for resale. During the search, numerous products bearing store tags from CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Stop and Shop, and other nearby retailers were identified and an estimated $3,000 in merchandise was recovered at the scene, state police said.

The investigation and search warrant resulted in the arrest of the store’s owner, Tolland County resident Kashif M. Khalifa, age 55, of Tolland, and his employee, New Haven County resident Homesh Pulipati, age 26, of New Haven.

Both were charged with accessory to organized retail theft and conspiracy to commit larceny.

They were later released on a $5,000 non-surety bond. Both Khalifa and Pulipati are scheduled for arraignment on Wednesday, March 22.

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