Police: Specially-Designed Bag Used to Hide Items Stolen at Mall

Three New Jersey residents are accused of working together in a shoplifting scheme at mall that used bags specially designed to conceal stolen items and defeat store security systems, according to .

One of the trio was arrested Tuesday night after a brief chase and was found to be wanted by police in Orange County.

The incident began about 8:50 p.m. Tuesday when security staff at the Lord and Taylor department store at the mall accused three people, Biancheska Velez-Valentin, 20, Jorge Torres, 26, and Jennifer Machado, 28, all from Newark, with taking merchandise and hiding the goods in a bag.

Police said they were stopped by security staff as they were leaving the store. Torres, police said, ran away but was stopped by a town police officer after a brief chase.

The bag used in the incident was later found to be designed to defeat store security devices, police said.

- Velez-Valentin was found to be in possession of nine pairs of sunglasses and one handbag with a total value of $1,507, police said. She was charged with fourth-degree grand larceny and fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, both felonies. She was also charged with criminal possession of an anti-security item and released pending an Aug. 13 Clarkstown Town Court hearing.

-  Machado was found to be in possession of a bag designed to defeat the store security system. She was charged with criminal possession of an anti-security item, a misdemeanor, and released pending an Aug. 13 hearing in Clarkstown Town Court.

- Torres was found to have an active arrest warrant out for him from Woodbury, NY, and was turned over to an officer from the Woodbury Police Department. Torres is due to appear in Clarkstown Town Court on Aug. 13 on charges of fourth-degree grand larceny and fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property.