Mount Carmel Borough Police are asking anyone who recognizes a man shown in store surveillance footage to contact the department in connection with a reported vape theft.
The report concerns Puffs, at 43 South Oak Street. Newport Dispatch reported that a shop manager contacted police at 12:50 p.m. on September 18, and officers logged the report.
Surveillance Footage Points to a Retail Theft
The Newport Dispatch account says police reviewed the store's surveillance footage after receiving the report. The footage showed an unidentified man taking a vape from the business. Police have not released further details about the man's appearance or identity.
Anyone who recognizes the man in the footage is asked to contact Mount Carmel Borough Police.
Pennsylvania Retail Theft in Context
According to the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania, statewide retail theft offenses filed increased by 16% from 2023 to 2024. The system recorded 160 retail-theft offenses filed in Northumberland County in 2024, down from 183 in 2023. These are court filings, not all reported incidents; the statewide and county figures provide context but do not establish a trend in Mount Carmel specifically.
How Pennsylvania Grades Retail Theft
Pennsylvania's retail-theft statute grades an offense in part by the value of the merchandise and whether it is a first or second offense. Under the Pennsylvania General Assembly's statute, a first- or second-offense theft involving merchandise valued at $150 or more is a first-degree misdemeanor. The available account does not provide the merchandise value or any prior-offense details, so the grade and potential penalty in this case cannot be determined.
Police Seek Public's Help
The department's request is focused on identifying the man shown in the footage; no further identifying details have been released.
