Conspiracy to commit retail theft
Evans, who fought with the police, was additionally charged with assault on an officer and interfering, Slusarz said.
He was also charged with possession of a shoplifting device after police found the wire cutters used to cut through security straps; and possession of a controlled substance after he was found with pills and marijuana, he added.
Evans and Nance are scheduled to appear in Stamford Superior Court on Wednesday, Feb. 24.
Evans was unable to set a $25,000 bond and was held in custody. Nance was released on a $2,500 bond. The primary objective of professional crime rings is to steal from retail organizations for the purpose of turning retail products into financial gain, rather than for personal use, Slusarz said. These criminal operations are responsible for tens of billions of dollars in losses each year nationally.