La Plata Man Charged After Safeway Theft, Short Foot Chase

LA PLATA, Md. — A La Plata man is facing theft and resisting arrest charges after officers say he ran from them following a reported theft at Safeway, according to charging documents.

Christopher Caporaletti, 38, of La Plata, was charged with resisting or interfering with arrest and theft of $100 to under $1,500.

A La Plata police corporal was dispatched on May 7, 2026, to the Safeway on Shining Willow Drive for a reported theft. Dispatch advised that the suspect was a white male wearing a ball cap and glasses and that he was walking away from the store with two gallon containers of juice toward a shopping center, according to the report.

The corporal was in the parking lot of Five Guys when he saw a man matching the description walking toward Crain Highway. He activated his emergency equipment, got out of his patrol car and told the man, later identified through his Maryland driver’s license as Caporaletti, to stop and speak with him.

Caporaletti allegedly asked what the officer wanted before being told again to stop and come over. He then dropped two gallon containers of juice and began running toward Crain Highway, according to charging documents.

After a short distance, the corporal said he was able to apprehend Caporaletti by assisting him to the ground. Caporaletti was ordered to put his hands behind his back and complied.

A Safeway employee later positively identified Caporaletti as the person who stole from the store, according to the report.

The charging documents state Caporaletti took $458.03 worth of merchandise and pushed a cart past the point of sale.

Caporaletti was transported to the Charles County Detention Center and later released on his own recognizance.

A hearing is set for June 23, 2026, at Charles District Court.

Under Maryland law, the listed charges carry up to three years and six months of incarceration and up to $5,500 in fines if Caporaletti is convicted and sentenced to the maximum consecutive terms.

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