Taunton man charged with punching security guard at Attleboro Home Depot store
ATTLEBORO Ma. Dec 31 2021 — A Taunton man was arraigned Tuesday on charges he punched a Home Depot security guard in the face during an alleged shoplifting attempt.
Andrew R. Defrancesco, 51, pleaded innocent in Attleboro District Court to assault and battery and shoplifting.
Defrancesco is being held on an unrelated case in Brockton District Court and had an additional $500 cash bail set for the Attleboro case.
Prosecutors say he is the man who, accompanied by a woman, attempted to steal 18 cases of wood flooring from The Home Depot in South Attleboro on Oct. 15.
After allegedly punching the guard, police say the man and woman fled the store in an SUV without the flooring.
Security officials had the pair under surveillance inside the store and said they changed the stickers on flooring with stickers from merchandise that had already been purchased.
Prosecutors sought $1,500 cash bail for Defrancesco citing his lengthy criminal record, which includes over 50 larceny offenses.
His case was continued to January for a pretrial hearing.
