Men Stole Baby Food, Baby Formula, Police Say

A Wilson man with an extensive history of retail thefts is facing new charges, this time for allegedly teaming up with another man to steal baby food and formula from a Palmer Township supermarket.

Christopher Thomas Savarino, 46, of 535 Avona Ave., has been charged with two counts of criminal conspiracy to commit retail theft and a single count of retail theft for alleged incidents at Weis Markets, 3011 William Penn Highway.

Court records say the alleged incidents occurred Wednesday morning (July 17) and around 6:40am Friday. In both cases, Savarino teamed up with a man with the same last name, the records say.

The criminal complaint for Christopher Savarino identifies the other man but does not say he has been charged in the Weis incidents. Online court records also do not say the other man has been charged in the Weis incidents.

The complaint, filed by township Officer Brent Lear, also says:

Each of the incidents involved 17 cans of baby products. In the July 17 incident, Christopher Savarino placed 17 cans of Gerber baby food valued at about $244 in a Weis basket, then left the basket by the exit doors.

The other man entered the store, took the basket and left.

Surveillance video shows Christopher Savarino placing the baby food cans in the basket and placing the basket on the ground by the exit doors. It also shows the other man taking the basket.

In Friday’s incident, the other man placed 17 cans – each measuring 12.7 ounces – of Gerber powered baby formula in a Weis basket that he then placed under a shopping cart. He then walked out of the store with the cart. No dollar value for the formula was listed.

Christopher Savarino remained outside. When police arrived, both men fled and left the merchandise behind.

Police searched the area and another officer found Christopher Savarino in the parking lot.

During an interview with Lear, he admitted to being at the store on Wednesday. Although it is not entirely clear to which incident he was referring, Savarino made additional comments – apparently about the Friday incident.

He told the officer he was the “look-out guy” while the other man went into the store. He said he knew of the other man’s intentions before arriving at the store.

Savarino was arraigned later Friday by District Judge Jackie Taschner of Palmer Township and released on $15,000 unsecured bail.

Both the retail theft and conspiracy charges are level-three felonies. Retail thefts usually rise to felonies instead of misdemeanors when the person charged has a history of retail theft convictions.

Online records show that Savarino pleaded guilty to retail theft charges in December 2002, July 2004, November 2005, August 2008, March 2010 and March 2011.

The incidents occurred in Palmer and Bethlehem townships as well as in Colonial Regional police’s jurisdiction, which includes Hanover (Northampton County) and Lower Nazareth townships and Bath borough.