Shoplifter Arrested at Target With Meth

South Windsor police arrested a 36-year-old Southington man at a Target store on May 8 after officers responding to a shoplifting complaint said they found concealed merchandise and suspected methamphetamine in his possession. Police said John W. Sipper was taken into custody at 6:13 p.m. at the Target at 125 Buckland Hills Drive. The charges filed against him were criminal attempt at sixth-degree larceny, possession of a controlled substance, first offense, and use of drug paraphernalia, according to accounts citing the police report. Sipper was released on a $5,000 non-surety bond, police said. ### Who did police say was arrested at the Target store? John W. Sipper, 36, of Southington, was identified by South Windsor police as the man arrested in the May 8 incident. Patch’s South Windsor news page listed the case under the headline, “‘Known Shoplifter’ Found With The Goods — And Meth — At Store: SWPD,” indicating police described him as a known shoplifter. (newportdispatch.com) South Windsor is the investigating agency in the case, and the department’s public information page lists Lt. Mark Cleverdon as the lead public information officer for press inquiries. The town’s police department is based at 151 Sand Hill Road. ### What did officers say happened inside the store? Officers responded to the Target store after receiving a report of a known shoplifter who was actively concealing items throughout the store, according to a report republished by Newport Dispatch from police information. (patch.com) Police said Sipper was located and arrested after officers arrived. (southwindsor-ct.gov) The Target store involved is at 125 Buckland Hills Drive in South Windsor, according to the same report. The case was described as a shoplifting investigation that led to additional drug-related charges after the arrest. ### What charges did police file after the arrest? Police said the charges were criminal attempt at larceny in the sixth degree, possession of a controlled substance, first offense, and use of drug paraphernalia. (newportdispatch.com) The controlled substance was described in local coverage as methamphetamine. Connecticut police blotter items and local arrest reports typically reflect allegations at the time of arrest, not convictions. (newportdispatch.com) Patch noted in a separate South Windsor arrest log that charges filed by police are not convictions, a standard caveat for local police reporting. ### Why was meth part of a shoplifting case? Police said methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia were found during a search incident to arrest. (newportdispatch.com) That search, according to the police account carried by Newport Dispatch, came after officers detained Sipper in connection with the reported shoplifting at Target. (patch.com) The South Windsor Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Unit lists narcotics and larcenies among the types of cases it investigates, according to the department’s website. The arrest as described by police involved both categories. ### What happens next in a case like this? Sipper was processed and released on a $5,000 non-surety bond, police said. (newportdispatch.com) A non-surety bond generally means a defendant is released on a written promise to pay the amount only if he fails to appear, though the specific bond conditions in this case were not detailed in the publicly available reports reviewed. That description is an inference based on standard bond terminology, not a statement from the police report. (southwindsor-ct.gov) South Windsor police make records available through the department’s records management and Freedom of Information process, and accident reports are generally available within 72 hours, according to the town website. For criminal case specifics beyond the arrest report, the next public step would typically be proceedings in Connecticut Superior Court involving the named defendant and the charges filed on May 8. (southwindsor-ct.gov) (newportdispatch.com)