At approximately 1:31 on Tuesday afternoon, September 13, 33-year old George Xenakis of 8th Street in Union City was arrested by Bayonne Police. According to Captain Eric Amato, Xenakis was taken into custody from the area of MLK Drive and Orient Avenue in Jersey City.
Captain Amato says at 10:52 am, Bayonne Police Officers responded to CVS, located at 560 Avenue C in Bayonne, on a report of a shoplifting. During the investigation, it was learned that a male entered the store and shoplifted between 15 and 20 bottles of eye drops totaling $200.00. He then fled on a blue-colored Citi Bike.
At 11:05, Amato says officers responded to Walgreens, located at 12 North Street, on a report of a robbery. During the investigation, it was learned that a male entered the store and shoplifted approximately $1,220.00 worth of eye drops and eye care products. During the shoplifting, he threatened to stab an employee with a syringe if the employee attempted to stop him. He then fled on a blue-colored Citi Bike.
Bayonne Police Detectives responded and immediately began an investigation. During the investigation, the detectives contacted Jersey City Police and provided a description and photo of the actor, which was obtained from video surveillance, and requested that they contact them should they observe the actor.
The detectives were contacted shortly after by a member of the Jersey City Police Department who immediately recognized the actor as Xenakis from numerous past incidents of shoplifting in Jersey City. The officer also advised the Bayonne Detectives that he had just observed Xenakis operating a Citi Bike in the area of MLK Drive and Stegman Street.
The Bayonne Detectives immediately responded to the area and located Xenakis, who matched the male observed in the surveillance videos at the stores, in the area of MLK Drive and Orient Avenue. As the detectives approached Xenakis, he refused to comply with their commands to stop. The detectives were ultimately able to stop him, conduct their investigation, and place him under arrest.
During the arrest process, Xenakis resisted by becoming combative and attempted to flee. He was ultimately subdued and taken into custody. A search incident to his arrest led to the recovery of numerous syringes and other items of evidence in his possession.
As the detectives were processing him, he was positively identified as the actor of another shoplifting from Rite-Aid at 1097 Broadway in Bayonne which was reported on July 17, 2022 which was currently under investigation. This incident involved Xenakis shoplifting $434.00 worth of Haagen-Dazs ice cream. He was additionally charged.
He has been charged with two counts of shoplifting, robbery and resisting arrest.
