Pair Caught Red Handed in Bald Hill Garden Center B&E

A North Kingstown man and woman are facing breaking and entering and conspiracy charges after they were caught inside the Bald Hill Garden Center building on South County Trail with flashlights and bags in an apparent attempted heist.

Police said they were dispatched to the building at 50 South County Trail for a report of a broken window that triggered an alarm at around 5:40 p.m. on Saturday.

Once inside, police said they found Meagan Marie Brum, 29, of 652 South County Trail, North Kingstown; and David Francis Fitzgerald Jr., 28, of the same address, standing like statues in an office loft over the main floor.

Nearby, police noticed a shiny Victoria's Secret bag, a black JP Sports backpack and the alleged culprits were carrying flashlights and wearing gloves.

Along with the broken window, police said there was evidence that Brum and Fitzgerald were in the process of an attempted robbery as some computer equipment, old cash register trays and other items had been removed from storage cabinets. The desk drawers appeared to have been rummaged through and two safes in the loft area "had obviously been moved," according to a police report.

Inside the Victoria's Secret bag were several keys and in the backpack, police found two pairs of scissors and two computer speakers.

Fitzgerald and Brum reportedly told police that the bags were theirs and they planned to use them to carry items out of the building.

It appears that the duo parked nearby in the Corner Tavern parking lot at 20 South County Trail before walking over to the garden center.

Brum was arraigned before Justice of the Peace Normal Landroche and was released on $5,000 personal recognizance. She entered no plea to the charges at an April 7 arraignment in Third Division District Court, which is customary for felony arraignments. She is due to appear in court on May 20 for an attorney general screening conference.

Fitzgerald was released on $10,000 personal recognizance and like Brum, is due to appear in court on May 20 for an AG conference. He also entered no plea at an arraignment before a justice of the peace on April 5.