CRANBERRY TWP — Police last week broke up another retail theft ring targeting a Marshalls department store in the township.

The group is the second such operation dismantled by police this month.

Several weeks ago, Cranberry police arrested nine men and women who were allegedly part of a regional retail theft ring that victimized several Marshalls stores across the region, including the one in Cranberry Township.

The latest group nabbed by authorities, comprised of four people from Beaver and Lawrence counties, operated in much the same way as the ring broken up earlier.

According to court documents, the group is accused of stealing more than $2,500 in merchandise from both the Cranberry Township Marshalls and a store in Beaver County.

Certain members of the group are accused of returning the stolen merchandise and getting gift cards as payment. They would then sell those gift cards, often for half of their worth, to allegedly buy heroin.

Police busted the group after Thomas Pieri, 31, of New Galilee was apprehended by a loss prevention officer at Marshalls. Pieri reportedly then admitted to the 14 thefts allegedly undertaken by his group and proceeded to give up his cohorts to police.

Those charged include Pieri as well as Autumn Harter, 26, of Monaca; Shawn Locke Jr., 27, of Ellwood City; and Andrew Scialdone, 31, of New Brighton.

All four are charged with retail theft, theft by deception, receiving stolen property, criminal conspiracy and organized retail theft. They were charged Dec. 26.