WESTPORT–Three alleged thieves were arrested – one hiding behind a tree – when police responded to two shoplifting incidents over the past week, the Westport Police said. Investigators are searching for a fourth suspect.

Stop & Shop

On Oct. 16, Noemi Figueroa-Torres, 54, of Bridgeport, was arrested at the Stop & Shop supermarket, 1790 Post Road East. Staff said she had talked to employees to distract them while a man she’d entered with wheeled out assorted merchandise in a shopping cart without paying.

The man “was later observed loading the stolen items into a vehicle parked within the lot, securing it and walking away,” police said in a report. “Figueroa-Torres remained inside the store and made a purchase before also exiting.”

When officers arrived, they found her hiding behind a tree.

Police determined that the vehicle, containing stolen goods valued at $510.56, belonged to Figueroa-Torres.

The man was not found, but police say they have identified him and expect to make an arrest.

Figueroa-Torres was charged with fifth-degree larceny and fifth-degree conspiracy to commit larceny. She posted $500 bond and is scheduled to be arraigned at Stamford Superior Court on Oct. 30.

2nd Street

In the second incident, two New Haven women were arrested on Sunday after allegedly leaving 2^nd Street, a clothing store at 17 Main St., with $607 worth of merchandise they had not purchased.

Staff allegedly saw Eboney Wood, 45, manipulate items on a display that Tyesha Wood, 29, then allegedly placed into a bag.

“On the arrival of officers, Tyesha Wood was reportedly observed concealing a pair of shoes in a bag that she was carrying,” a police report said. “Both parties subsequently exited the store without paying for any merchandise and were detained.”

Eboney Wood was charged with fifth-degree larceny. She was found to be on active parole for an unrelated matter and the subject of a remand order by the Department of Correction for violating the terms of that parole. She was arraigned in Stamford Superior Court on Oct. 20 and is being held on $7,500 bond pending her next court appearance on Dec. 5, police and court records show.

Tyesha Wood was charged with fifth-degree larceny. She was released on $5,000 bond and is scheduled to be arraigned at Stamford Superior Court on Nov. 7.