BOARDMAN — Five people from New Jersey are in the Mahoning County jail after they were caught allegedly trying to steal more than $2,000 worth of merchandise from a local store.

According to a Boardman police report, they were arrested at either T.J. Maxx or Homegoods — the report lists the address as 717 Boardman Poland Road, which corresponds to both businesses — after employees there reported that a group was actively engaged in shoplifting.

Alva Cumari, 19, and Esthefany Asto, 24, both of Irvington, New Jersey; Cristian Wilfredo Rojas, 25, of Newark, New Jersey; and Lucia Pacheco, 21, and Jorge Arellano Ramos, 21, both of Elizabeth, New Jersey, all are scheduled for initial appearances Tuesday in Mahoning County Boardman Court on one count each of felony theft.

The report states that the five and two others were still in the store when police arrived and were seen attempting to exit the store with merchandise they had not paid for. When police handcuffed Ramos and searched him, they found a large magnet in his coat pocket.

The report states that employees observed five of them taking items off the shelf, and then using the magnet Ramos gave them to remove the store security tags from the items. Police also found a second similar magnet while investigating.

The report states that the thefts were caught on video surveillance, which will be provided to police.

The five are accused of attempting to steal $2,365.70 worth of merchandise, much of it clothing and accessories. The other two seen with them were not arrested because police could not find any evidence that they were involved with the theft attempts.

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