BUTLER COUNTY, Pa. — A man from Romania is facing charges after police say he encouraged teenage girls to steal makeup from two CVS locations.
Court documents say on Friday, the two girls took nearly $3,000 worth of Maybelline makeup from CVS stores in Wexford and Mars.
Investigators determined the girls were picked up by a dark sedan after taking the makeup.
Police tracked down the alleged getaway car on Sunday and found Vasile Ionita, 21, of Romania, driving.
Ionita is charged with retail theft, theft by unlawful taking and corruption of minors.
Police have not said if the girls are facing any charges in connection to the theft.
The two young women, whose ages and names were not provided in police paperwork, were seen on security footage stealing the makeup, valued at $2,070.86, according to a criminal complaint. Both were picked up in a car by a driver, later identified as Vasile Ionita of Romania, who was parked across the street in the GetGo parking lot.
Allegheny Township police eventually located the suspect’s vehicle, pulled it over, and arrested Ionita. CVS customers were upset to hear what happened.
“They’re the best, and when I read that they were taken advantage of by stealing, it just broke my heart because they surely don’t deserve it. They’re wonderful people, from the pharmacists on down,” said Shelia Foltz of Adams Township. “I couldn’t understand it, but this is our world today, unfortunately.”
Investigators say this wasn’t the only store targeted by the thieves. The CVS in Wexford also reported a large quantity of cosmetics stolen from its store. Court documents said the same two young women wearing the same clothing were spotted on security footage at that store on the same day.
Channel 11 asked Adams Township police if those accused of stealing the makeup were arrested and, if so, what charges they faced. Police said they weren’t releasing any additional information at this time.
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