One man was charged Friday and at least seven more are wanted in a scheme in which customers at a Premier Boulevard business took items without paying after the items were scanned and voided.

Roanoke Rapids police Chief Shane Guyant said more than $3,000 in merchandise was stolen in a scheme which is believed to have started in early May and reportedly involved the man charged — Ailito Roberto Estrada, 27, of Emporia and Weldon — aiding and abetting larceny by scanning their purchases and then voiding them so customers could walk out without paying.

Estrada was identified through extensive investigation after police received a report on Thursday of a possible larceny, the police chief said.

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On Friday Lieutenant D.A. Newsome and Master Officer C. Majette arrested Estrada at his place of employment. 

He was charged with eight counts of felony larceny by employee, eight counts of felony conspiracy, and eight counts of aid and abet larceny. 

He received a $28,000 secured bond and a July 25 district court date.

He also received an additional $30,000 secured bond, according to Halifax County Detention Center records, after a .32-caliber handgun and 8 grams of cocaine “were well hidden in his crotch area” and not immediately found during the original pat down search, Guyant said.

Guyant said Estrada “was aggressively searched by an extremely diligent detention officer” during intake.

The state court calendar shows for those offenses he was charged with felony possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine, felony possession of cocaine, felony possession of a weapon by a prisoner, felony possession of a controlled substance on jail premises, and misdemeanor carrying a concealed weapon.

Guyant said the Halifax Regional Drug and Gang Task Force levied those counts.

He has a July 2 district court date for those counts.

Meanwhile, during Newsome’s investigation he also learned of at least seven individuals that had benefited from Estrada’s actions.  

The Roanoke Rapids Police Department seeks information on the identity of these individuals.  Call Crimestoppers at 252-583-444 or visit its website