Two men are facing theft and drug related charges following the alleged theft of a computer and sound system from the Mahoning Township Wal-Mart on July 31.

Calvin Rodriguez, 33, of Wilkes-Barre, and Brandon Patterson, 26, who has addresses in Wilkes-Barre and Lehighton, have been charged with retail theft and criminal conspiracy - retail theft.Additional charges for possession of heroin and tampering with evidence are pending.Police said both men admitted to they that they are heroin addicts.They were arraigned before District Judge William Kissner of Palmerton.Bail for Rodriguez was listed at $75,000 cash, while Patterson's bail was set at $50,000 cash. Both were committed to the Carbon County Correctional Facility, with hearings scheduled at 2:15 p.m. on Sept. 4.According to township police, on July 31, at 3:02 p.m., an observant Mahoning Township resident witnessed a 1992 Cadillac Deville leaving Wal-Mart on Blakeslee Blvd at a high rate of speed with its registration plate obscured. The resident observed the vehicle stop near Mcdonalds where the two occupants transferred items from the backseat to the trunk.They then went into the Lowe's parking lot where police contacted the vehicle. The driver, Rodriguez, was detained while police searched for the passenger, later identified as Patterson.Police said a review of Wal-Mart security video showed the two defendants took less than 15 minutes to enter the store and remove two large boxes identified as an HP computer, and a Samsung sound system without paying for them.Allegedly, they then left in the Cadillac with the registration covered.Patterson was later taken into custody at his mother's residence in Lehighton. A search warrant was obtained for the vehicle and police recovered both items valued at $996 from the trunk.In addition police said they found heroin packets, a needle, and a crack pipe.While an officer was processing the heroin packets in the police station, Rodriguez lunged from a handcuffed rail, and grabbed several of the packets before he could be stopped. He then attempted to destroy the evidence by chewing, and swallow the packets, police said. However, officers were able to stop him from doing so.