Alleged thief hid in box before Kmart burglary Suspect arrested after chase, struggle with police officers EAST BRUNSWICK - A man who police said hid inside a box in the Kmart store waiting for it to close, and then tried to steal more than $80,000 worth of merchandise was arrested as he fled the store Monday. Greg G. Giannotta, 36, of Old Forge, Pa., and formerly of Spotswood, was charged after he allegedly ran from police and then fought and injured a police officer at 12:25 a.m. He was being held at the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center, North Brunswick, in lieu of $75,000 bail. Police believe Giannotta went to Kmart at 8 p.m. Sunday and pretended to be shopping. While in the store, he took a duffel bag, burglary tools and a complete change of clothing, police said. He then went to the furniture area and hid in a box, waiting for the store to close. After Kmart closed, Giannotta changed into the shoplifted clothes, came out of the box and went to the jewelry area. Despite the fact that store employees were present, police said Giannotta, now wearing a ski mask, began to pry open the cases and load the duffel bag with jewelry. An employee noticed the masked man around 12:25 a.m. and yelled for the store manager to call 911. Giannotta then fled out a side emergency exit, setting off the alarm and alerting East Brunswick police officers who were doing a building security check nearby on Arthur Street. The officers, who could hear the alarm coming from the Arthur Street side of Kmart, looked over and saw the man later identified as Giannotta running from Kmart, wearing a ski mask and carrying a duffel bag. When the suspect saw the police car nearby, he came to a halt and attempted to act casual as he walked toward Arthur Street, still wearing the mask and carrying the bag. As the officers approached, Giannotta turned and ran. The officers chased him down in the area of the Levitz Furniture store. A struggle ensued with the suspect as officers Jason Rios, Anthony Giordano and Theodore Yachimovicz made the arrest. Rios sustained a facial laceration during the altercation. Giannotta was found to have more than $80,000 in Kmart merchandise, all of which was recovered at the scene, police said. The suspect's own clothing was also found in the duffel bag. Giannotta was charged with second-degree burglary, theft, possession of stolen property, burglary tools, aggravated assault on a police officer and resisting arrest. Since Giannotta had no current local ties, police continued to search the area for an accomplice. At approximately 3 a.m., officers stopped an SUV that was circling the area at a slow rate of speed. Police determined that the driver, Alex Hernandez, 29, of Rockaway, N.Y., was an accomplice, and charged him with burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary and possession of marijuana and a hypodermic syringe. He was transported to the county jail also in lieu of $75,000 bail. Rios was treated for the facial laceration at Saint Peter's University Hospital, New Brunswick, and released.