PD: Man in Motorized Wheelchair Took Nearly $300 in Merchandise, Blamed Theft on Pain

A 42-year-old city man who concealed $286 worth of merchandise from Marshall's department store in a courtesy motorized wheelchair said he did so because he was in pain and lacked charity, according to Middletown Police.

On June 21 at 7:12 p.m., Marco Gonzalez, 42, of Hillside Avenue, was at Marshall's on East Main Street when store security called police about a shoplifting incident, according to the report, while he was riding the customer-operated wheelchair. 

He went to multiple departments in the store and concealed $285.78 worth of merchandise in a mesh backpack he took from the store and underneath it in the carriage. 

The report says Gonzalez uses a cane to help his walking and told police he stole because he was in severe pain and "nobody wants to give me handouts," has no money, recently received a disability check from the state but never received state assistance. 

He was also found with an active warrant from Rocky Hill for a similar crime.

He was charged with fourth- and sixth-degree larceny.