Shoplifting Incident at Massachusetts Grocery Store

Authorities reported that two sisters attempted to steal expensive food items from a grocery store in Massachusetts over the weekend. The situation escalated when a store employee confronted them about their actions.

According to the West Bridgewater Police Department, officers were called to the Market Basket grocery store around 5 p.m. on Saturday after reports of a disturbance involving customers and an employee.

Witnesses noted that the sisters used racial slurs and loud, degrading language during the confrontation, which caused quite an uproar among other shoppers. The problematic language included terms that were very offensive, clearly audible to those in the vicinity.

The investigation revealed that the sisters were observed hiding high-value items such as lobster, prime rib steak, and truffle butter in their bags without paying at checkout. Upon being confronted, the sisters reacted violently.

The suspects were identified as 37-year-old Olivia L. Byrd from Quincy and 28-year-old Rajane J. Byrd from Hyde Park. Their actions reportedly led to offensive verbal exchanges with staff, escalating to physical confrontations as well.

One employee, Alexander O’Shees, mentioned that he grew suspicious when he noticed that most items were unbagged, apart from those in blue bags. He attempted to take the bag from them, which led to a physical altercation when one of the sisters fell in the process.

Despite attempts by employees, including requests for the sisters to leave, they persisted in both verbal and physical aggression. Reports indicate that Rajane struck a staff member with a blue bag of groceries, while Olivia assaulted another with her purse, leading to further injuries.

This chaotic incident was recorded on video, showing one of the sisters hitting an employee in the face using a cell phone. The sisters continued to rant and threaten store staff as they exited the premises.

When confronted by the police in the parking lot, the sisters claimed they were shopping for customers in their roles at Instacart. Olivia alleged that an employee had been watching them closely and claimed the blue bag contained items from canceled orders.

However, police noted inconsistencies in their statements regarding payment for the high-value items. Olivia admitted to hitting an employee in defense of her sister but acknowledged that her actions were wrong.

Ultimately, the sisters were arrested and charged with multiple offenses, including assault and battery, unlawful shoplifting, and disorderly conduct. A judge has barred them from entering the Market Basket again and from contacting the store’s employees.

The sisters were arraigned in Brockton District Court on Monday, where they pleaded not guilty and were released on personal recognizance. They are scheduled to return to court on December 17. Neither the West Bridgewater Police Department nor Market Basket provided immediate comments following the incident.