PORT CARBON - Two Pottsville men were arraigned Tuesday for their roles in a Nov. 19 retail theft at Wal-Mart in Saint Clair that ended when both were apprehended after fleeing from a vehicle into the woods near Darkwater Road.
Archie D. Ciccanti, 32, of 245 Nichols St., and Robert W. McFarland, 41, of 219 N. George St., were arrested by Saint Clair police Patrolman Joseph Leskin and charged with conspiracy, retail theft and receiving stolen property.
Leskin said the two stole a bed comforter and two computers with a combined valued of $1,793.76.
Leskin said the men were captured on security cameras about 9:55 a.m. placing items in a shopping cart and then running from the store.
As the two fled the store, they got into a vehicle that drove north on Route 61 followed by Saint Clair police Chief Michael Carey, who was en route to the store to investigate the theft.
Carey pursued the car that turned onto Darkwater Road, where both McFarland and Ciccanti fled into a wooded area.
With the assistance of officers from municipal, county and state agencies, the two men were pursued and finally apprehended about 2 miles from their vehicle by Schuylkill County Deputy Sheriff Chris Rooney, Leskin said.
Also Tuesday, the men were arraigned on charges of retail theft and receiving stolen property stemming from a Nov. 17 theft at the store in which McFarland stole three power tools valued at $125.64 and Ciccanti stole a computer valued at $898.
Ciccanti was then arraigned on charges of retail theft and receiving stolen property after he allegedly stole a vacuum cleaner valued at $399 on Oct. 16.
After being apprehended in the woods Nov. 19, Ciccanti was jailed on warrants for other crimes committed at Wal-Mart.
Those cases included the Aug. 11 theft of items valued at $1,101; two thefts on Aug. 12, one totaling $637.88 and the other for $1,572.91; a Sept. 24 theft that netted items valued at $898; and an Oct. 3 theft of items valued at $798.
For the Nov. 19 theft charges, Magisterial District Judge David A. Plachko, Port Carbon, set bail at $25,000 straight cash for McFarland and $50,000 straight cash for Ciccanti and committed both to Schuylkill County Prison.
Meanwhile, Ciccanti is now also scheduled to appear before Magisterial District Judge James K. Reiley, Pottsville, on Dec. 21 to answer to charges filed by Pottsville police.
City police are charging the man with retail theft, conspiracy and receiving stolen property for his role in the Oct. 4 theft of three television sets from the Rite Aid store on Mill Creek Avenue.
Carey said both McFarland and Ciccanti are also wanted on outstanding warrants from other police departments in both Schuylkill and Berks counties, including one from state police at Schuylkill Haven charging McFarland with assaulting Jonathan T. Porter and stealing $120. Ferrier bound over those charges for Schuylkill County Court.
Orwigsburg police allege that Ciccanti conspired to, and did, steal $400 worth of merchandise from Boyer's Food Market, 329 S. Liberty St., at 6:42 p.m. July 27.
Police said Ciccanti and his accomplice entered the store and took two shopping carts full of items including meat, seafood, paper towels and drinks. That incident was recorded on video surveillance, according to police.
Ciccanti remains in prison on those charges in lieu of $2,500 straight cash bail pending further court action.