By Jim Clark

Somerville police received a call on Sunday from the Loss Prevention Officer at Saks OFF 5TH at Assembly Row, reporting that a male party had just stolen multiple pairs of sunglasses, and that the suspect was heading East on Grand Union Blvd., in the direction of Home Depot.

According to the Loss Prevention Officer, the suspect is known to them as Darryll Lydon, and has stolen sunglasses from Saks on at least ten occasions. The Loss Prevention Officer told police that Lydon typically walks into the store, heads directly to the sunglasses display, grabs as many pairs as he can, and runs out of the store in under one minute.

Police were told that during the current incident, Lydon had entered Saks and grabbed about eight pairs of sunglasses and exited the store in approximately 30 seconds, causing the store’s theft detection sensors to go off in the process.

Police soon located a male matching Lydon’s description walking along Grand Union Blvd., in between Foley Street and Revolution Drive, before turning and heading into the Bank of America ATM nearby.

Police watched as Lydon attempted to draw money out of the ATM, but appeared to be unsuccessful, and then make his way into Home Depot.

According to police records, Lydon has a history of narcotics abuse, and has been known to pull hypodermic needles on loss prevention officers who have tried to stop him.

The officers on scene located Lydon inside the the Home Depot, then he repeatedly insisted he was never in Saks and had been trespassed the last time he was caught for stealing sunglasses in December of 2017, according to police.

Lydon reportedly made statements that he usually takes about twelve pairs of sunglasses at a time, and has a problem with both stealing and narcotics.

Lydon reportedly told the officers that he had not stolen sunglasses from Saks since the December incident.

Police conducted a frisk of Lydon and located a Sheffield folding knife in the right front pocket of his jeans, which is in violation of a city ordinance.

Police did not locate any sunglasses on Lydon’s person, but suspected he had ditched them when he saw them following him on Grand Union Blvd.

As Lydon was being detained for the theft, police received a call from Assembly Row Security Officers who said they witnessed the incident on camera and saw Lydon duck between two parked cars, appearing to fidget with his clothing. Assembly Row Security checked the area where Lydon had been, and located eight pairs of Saks sunglasses, with sensors still attached, underneath a parked car. The total value of the stolen sunglasses amounted to $743.90.

Lydon was subsequently placed under arrest for violation of city ordinance possession of a dangerous weapon, larceny over $250, and trespassing.