Newport Man Arrested for Felony Shoplifting and Police Chase

NEWPORT, RI—A Newport man dubbed “Elvis” by police has been arrested for allegedly stealing $400 worth of merchandise from a Sears in Dartmouth, MA, and leading police on a chase over the state border last month.

Andrew Gaskell, 37, of 6 Beacon Court, was arrested by members of the Rhode Island State Police Fugitive Task Force over the weekend.

Gaskell was identified as a suspect with help from Portsmouth, Middletown and Newport police who immediately recognized Gaskell after Dartmouth police on Feb. 24 posted his picture taken by a security camera asking the public for assistance.

On Tuesday, an officer on Dartmouth police’s Facebook page posted that he wondered if Gaskell was singing “Don’t Be Cruel” when members of the state police task force “locked him up.”

Gaskell was charged with larceny for the theft and two warrants, one each from Tiverton and Portsmouth police for eluding police as he sped from the Sears in a black Ford Taurus with stolen Massachusetts license plates.

Court records show Gaskell has a lengthy criminal history in Rhode Island with almost 20 arrests over the years, mainly for shoplifting. He has also been convicted of driving to endanger, leaving the scene of an accident involving injury or death, and eluding police.

Gaskell was arraigned in Second Division District Court. He is due to return to court on the eluding police charges on March 8 for a status conference.