A Union City man was arrested in Bayonne after shoplifting approximately $1,440 worth of eye care products at CVS and Walgreens, police said.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
George Xenakis, 33, of Union City, was charged with robbery, resisting arrest, and two counts of shoplifting, according to Police Capt. Eric Amato.
Xenakis was taken into custody at 1:31 p.m. hours from the area of Martin Luther King Drive and Orient Avenue in Jersey City on Tuesday.
On this date at about 10:52 a.m., officers responded to the CVS, located at 560 Avenue C, on a report of a shoplifting. During the investigation, it was learned that a man entered the store and shoplifted 15-20 bottles of eye drops totaling $200.
He then fled on a blue Citibike. Shortly after, at around 11:05 a.m., officers responded to the Walgreens, located at 12 North St., on a report of a robbery.
During the investigation, it was learned that a male entered the store and shoplifted approximately $1,220 worth of eye drops and eye care products. During the shoplifting, he threatened to stab an employee with a syringe if the employee attempted to stop him.
He then again fled on a blue Citibike. Bayonne police detectives responded and immediately began an investigation.
During the investigation, the detectives contacted Jersey City police and provided a description and photo of the actor from video surveillance and requested that they contact them should they observe the actor.
The detectives were contacted shortly after by a member of the Jersey City Police Department who immediately recognized the actor as Xenakis from numerous past shoplifting incidents in Jersey City.
The officer also advised the Bayonne detectives that he had just observed Xenakis operating a Citibike in the area of MLK Drive and Stegman Street.
The Bayonne detectives immediately responded to the area and located Xenakis, who matched the man observed in the surveillance videos at the stores, in the area of MLK Drive and Orient Avenue.
As the detectives approached Xenakis, he refused to comply with their commands to stop. The detectives were ultimately able to stop him, conduct their investigation, and place him under arrest.
During the arrest process, Xenakis resisted by becoming combative and attempted to run away. He was ultimately subdued and taken into custody. A search incident to his arrest led to the recovery of numerous syringes and other items of evidence in his possession.
As the detectives were processing him, he was positively identified as the actor of another shoplifting from the Rite Aid at 1097 Broadway reported on July 17th, which was currently under investigation.
This incident involved Xenakis shoplifting $434 worth of Haagan Dazs ice cream, which he was also charged for, authorities said.
