Ipswich man to appear in court August 21 after threatening to “stick” CVS worker with blood-filled syringe

BOSTON, August 12, 2024 – An Ipswich man with a 32-page criminal record will appear in court for a pre-trial hearing on August 21 after being charged with shoplifting at a CVS in Boston and then threatening to stab a CVS employee with a blood-filled syringe, District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.

GRIFFIN SULLIVAN, 25, was charged on July 29 with armed robbery and shoplifting by asportation.  Boston Municipal Court Central Division Judge Paul Treseler ordered Sullivan held on $500 bail and also ordered him to stay away from the incident location.

At about 8:16 a.m. on Sunday July 28 Boston police responded to the CVS on Cambridge Street in Boston’s West End for a shoplifting call.  A CVS employee told officers he saw a man enter the store, fill his arms with paper towels and cashew nuts, and attempt to flee without paying.  When confronted by the employee, the man said “Not today man. You stop me and I will pull out a needle full of my blood and stick you with it.”

The employee told police that the man was wearing a green Under Armour T-shirt, black shorts and black sandals. Police searched the area around the store to no avail.

At about 4:30 p.m. that day, Boston police spotted a man on Avenue De Lafayette in Downtown Crossing wearing the same clothing and matching the images captured on surveillance video from the earlier incident. Police stopped the man, later identified as Sullivan.  Sullivan initially denied being at the CVS, then said, “but I gave the stuff back.”  Officers arrested Sullivan and in his fanny pack found five syringes, all empty.

Sullivan’s criminal record stems back to 2013 and includes offenses like false reporting, assault, assault and battery, leaving the scene of property damage, leaving the scene of an injured person, larceny and receiving stolen property. 

Hayden’s office has held several meetings with regional retailer groups and small business owners 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.

“This is a prime example of the type of conduct that endangers employees and has a broader impact on consumers.  We’re taking these concerns seriously as we work with retailers throughout the city.  Employees deserve to be safe in their workplaces and consumers deserve to be safe in their shopping places,” 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 Communications