Alleged Baby Formula Burglars Indicted on Shoplifting, Conspiracy Charges

Manalapan residents Berron West, 42, and Cortney Applebaum, 32, have been indicted by the Monmouth County Grand Jury for allegedly shoplifting merchandise from Target and Walmart on two separate occasions.

According to the indictment issued by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, West and Applebaum purportedly stole merchandise valued at over $500 between December 8, 2011 and Jan. 12 from the Target, located within the Epicentre Plaza in Manalapan Township.

West and Applebaum, who share a home together on Oak Knoll Rd., were also indicted on a charge of shoplifting over $500 worth of merchandise from the Freehold Walmart location between Jan. 19 and Jan. 25.

as a result of an investigation led by Detectives Leonard Maltese and Detective Thomas Mantle of the . Upon arrest, West was charged with robbery, simple assault, criminal attempted shoplifting and conspiracy to commit shoplifting.

According to an arrest warrant issued by Manalapan Police, with a shopping cart containing baby formula, diapers, and baby clothing without paying.

The duo were also indicted on a conspiracy charge for allegedly agreeing to commit the crime of shoplifting between Dec. 8 and Jan. 25. The indictment issued by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office specifies that the overt acts of alleged conspiracy were the fact that West and Applebaum entered the Walmart together, placed items into one shopping cart, and that Applebaum guided West to the exits without paying for the merchandise within the shopping cart.