Man charged with stealing nearly $8K from 2 CVS stores in DC in monthlong shoplifting spree

A man who police say stole nearly $8,000 worth of merchandise from two CVS locations in Northwest D.C. during a month-long shoplifting spree this summer has been arrested.

Emmanual Hart, 28, was arrested Sept. 2 and has been charged with two counts of first-degree theft and 19 counts of second-degree theft. He’s also facing attempted robbery charges after police say he confronted a man outside a restaurant last month and tried to steal his scooter.

According to D.C. police, the series of thefts took place between June 28 and July 27, and targeted a CVS near the corner of 14th Street and P Street and another one a few blocks away at the corner of 17th Street and P Street.

Court documents said Hart repeatedly rushed into the two stores and stuffed hundreds of dollars worth of merchandise, such as Lysol, trash bags and paper towels, into bags in only a few seconds and then left the stores without paying.

All told, he made off with merchandise valued at $7,906.06, according to police.

Separate from the shoplifting, Hart is also being charged in relation to an attempted robbery that took place about 12:15 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 17 outside the Shake Shack on 14th Street, according to court documents.

Hart and another man are accused of trying to steal a man’s scooter as he was sitting on it in front of the restaurant. Hart swung what appeared to be a bottle in a black plastic bag at the man with the scooter and began to “physically tussle” over the scooter, but the other man was able to fight the two assailants off, according to the documents.

Hart made his first appearance in D.C. Superior Court on Sept. 3 and was ordered held without bond. He will next go before a judge on Sept. 16.

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Jack Moore

Jack Moore joined WTOP.com as a digital writer/editor in July 2016. Previous to his current role, he covered federal government management and technology as the news editor at Nextgov.com, part of Government Executive Media Group.

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