Serial shoplifter charged with stealing over $30,000 worth of merchandise

BOSTON, November 4, 2024 – A Boston man was sentenced to two years in the House of Correction last week for violating his probation conditions by being arrested for new larceny charges stemming from three separate incidents in which he stole over $30,000 worth of merchandise from retail stores, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.

ESSIE BILLINGSLEA, 34, of Boston was charged in Boston Municipal Court Central Division on October 7 with three counts of larceny over $1,200. Judge Paul Treseler ordered Billingslea held on $5,000 bail on the new charges and ordered him to return to court November 19.

In a follow-up probation violation hearing on October 31, Judge James Coffey ruled that Billingslea violated probation conditions set in July, when he pleaded to a retail larceny charge and received a two-year suspended sentence.

On August 27, Boston police responded to the Victoria’s Secret store located in 100 Huntington Avenue for a larceny report. Store employees reported that an unidentified male with a reusable T.J. Maxx bag walked in and grabbed $1558.50 worth of merchandise.

On August 29, police responded to Lululemon located at 208 Newbury Street for a larceny in progress. The manager reported seeing a male wearing a yellow shirt and black pants conceal multiple boxes containing 145 pairs of leggings, with a value of $29,120 into T.J. Maxx shopping bags.

On September 4, police responded to Lululemon located at 776 Boylston Street. A store employee reported that an unidentified male entered the store and placed approximately 31 pairs of leggings into a T.J. Maxx bag. The stolen merchandise had a value of approximately $3,200.

Investigators were able to immediately identify the male as Billingslea from previous incidents and similar crimes.

Billingslea has been convicted of 20 larceny related offenses since 2021.

Hayden’s office is working with regional retailer groups, small business owners and police to discuss safety concerns and to help store managers strategize responses to shoplifting and retail larcenies. The meetings have come amid increasing national and local frustrations around retail crime, along with concerns over the closure of several pharmacies serving minority communities in Boston.

“We know that a small percentage of violators are responsible for a large percentage of crimes, and that basic truth holds true in retail larceny offenses. Awareness of repeat offenders is a primary component of our strategy for increasing store-based safety for shoppers and employees,” Hayden said.

All charged individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop, Mass. The office handles over 20,000 cases a year. More than 160 attorneys in the office practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Supreme Judicial Court, and the Boston Juvenile Courts. The office employs some 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs to serve anyone who comes in contact with the criminal justice system. This office is committed to educating the public about the services we provide, our commitment to crime prevention, and our dedication to keeping the residents of Suffolk County safe.

James Borghesani, Chief of Communcations

SCDAO