Richard Paul Williams and London M. Sutton/Neiman Marcus

By Cecilia Levine From Daily Voice

Two out-of-state suspects were arrested after police say they slipped into employee areas at multiple Garden State Plaza stores and tried to steal thousands in luxury merchandise before fleeing the mall.

On Wednesday, Dec. 10, at approximately 3:20 p.m., Paramus police responded to  the Westfield Garden State Plaza after mall security alerted the Paramus Anti-Crime Unit to a shoplifting incident at Loft, Paramus Police Chief Robert Guidetti said. 

Richard Paul Williams, age 44 of Washington, SC, was seen entering the rear employee stock area and opening employee lockers, the chief said. The store manager told officers that when a sales associate confronted him and told him to leave, he ran out of the store.

Anti-Crime officers then watched Williams and a female companion, later identified as London M. Sutton, 29, of Severna Park, MD, walk into Neiman Marcus, Guidetti said. Security said that Williams entered a restricted stockroom and later went to the Burberry coat section, where he selected $4,834 in merchandise and placed it near a rear register, investigators said.

Sutton took the items and left the store, police said. Both suspects then left the mall.

Anti-Crime officers followed and approached Williams, who attempted to flee on foot but was caught after a brief pursuit by Detective Nicholas Perna and Sgt. Ryan Hayo, police said. Williams and Sutton were arrested and charged with shoplifting, burglary, and hindering apprehension. Both were remanded to the Bergen County Jail.