Couple Charged With Stealing From New Milford HomeGoods: Police

NEW MILFORD, CT — A couple already under investigation for shoplifting throughout the tri-state area has been charged with stealing from a New Milford HomeGoods, police said.

Southbury police arrested Jadion Richards, 41, and Akwele Lawes-Richards, 42, at the HomeGoods on Feb. 25 after they were alerted to the incident.

Police said Richards and Lawes-Richards had fraudulent HomeGoods receipts, fake driver's licenses from the tri-state area and a retail theft device at the time of their arrest.

The Southbury Police Department had been investigating the couple for organized retail theft across Connecticut, New York and New Jersey, Southbury police said on Facebook.

According to the Jamaica Observer, Richards and Lawes-Richards are a Jamaican couple based in the United States. Richards is a "party promoter popularly known as Jay Icon," the Jamaica Observer said, while Lawes-Richards is known as Angel.

That newspaper reported that each person was charged with larceny, conspiracy to commit larceny and second-degree forgery.

DanceHall Mag referred to Richards as "well known in entertainment circles" and said Lawes-Richards is a businesswoman, in addition to being his wife.