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Shoplifting/ Retail Security News www.privateofficer.com
Shoplifting/ Retail Security News http://www.privateofficer.com
Heather A. Palermo, 20, and Michael T. McMahon, 23, both of Quincy, were arrested on the afternoon of Nov. 26 after allegedly stealing $463 worth of sunglasses and cologne from Lord and Taylor at the South Shore Plaza, Deputy Police Chief Russell Jenkins told the Forum.
Officers Brendan McLaughlin and Thomas Molloy located the couple on the mall after receiving a report from loss prevention that they exited the store without paying for the merchandise.
“The officers also discovered pants and a shirt valued at $108 in Palermo’s pocketbook that were reportedly stolen from the Hollister store,” Jenkins said.
Both Palermo and McMahon were placed under arrest and charged with larceny over $250 and receiving stolen property under $250.
Salisbury NC
A simple shoplifting resulted in a chase involving officers from a number of Rowan County law-enforcement agencies Sunday night.
The chase ended at the Clark Road exit off Interstate 85 in Davidson County, about two miles past the Yadkin River bridge north of Rowan County.
“I’m out here a little excited,” said Rowan County Sheriff George Wilhelm, one of the major players in the pursuit.
Wilhelm said the event started about 7:30 p.m. when an employee at CVS Pharmacy in Rockwell called to report a shoplifting.
The call went out for officers to be on the lookout for a burgundy PT Cruiser traveling west on U.S. 52.
According to Wilhelm, a Granite Quarry police officer soon stopped the suspect vehicle along U.S. 52. But the Cruiser halted only momentarily, soon pulling away from the officer, first at a slow speed, then gradually accelerating.
“He started driving 20 (mph), then 30 and then 45,” Wilhelm said. “When he got on the interstate, he was traveling in excess of 90.”
Wilhelm was in the area of Jake Alexander Boulevard and East Innes Street when the call for help went out, and he soon joined the pursuit. He said that in addition to him and the Granite Quarry officer, officers from the N.C. Highway Patrol and the Salisbury and East Spencer police departments were also involved.
Wilhelm said the suspect vehicle proceeded west on Innes Street, then sped north on the interstate, with officers in hot pursuit. He said occupants of the Cruiser tossed items from the car throughout the chase.
Wilhelm said officers believed occupants were ditching items they had just stolen.
He said the chase finally ended when an East Spencer officer got in front of the Cruiser in Davidson County and boxed it in, with the sheriff and the Granite Quarry officer following.
Wilhelm said the driver of the Cruiser had a New York license and the car was registered to an owner in High Point. There were three people in the Cruiser.
Wilhelm said the case would be handled by the Granite Quarry officer who made the first stop. Efforts to reach the Granite Quarry and Rockwell police departments were unsuccessful Sunday night.
Wilhelm said the driver of the Cruiser would face a bevy of charges, including speeding to elude a law enforcement officer and felony speeding to elude arrest for traveling more than 90 mph on the interstate.
Reached on his cell phone shortly before 9 p.m., Wilhelm said he was searching the interstate near its intersection with Innes Street for items the suspects threw from the Cruiser as the chase played out.
“They were throwing out things,” Wilhelm said. “That’s what I’m looking for now.”
He said anyone who doubts that law-enforcement officers make up a close-knit community have never witnessed the response when one officer sends out a cry for help as happened Sunday.
“You’ll be surprised at the response you get,” Wilhelm said.
He said he monitors his scanner on an almost-constant basis and said that while his involvement in chases is relatively rare, they still happen.
“I get in about one a year,” Wilhelm said.
Bath County VA.
Thursday night, four people were arrested and charged in Bath County for shoplifting at the Wal-Mart in Staunton earlier in November.
Police say Jerry Dale Rogers, Curtis Keyser, Donnica Doubet, and Jessica McClung left the store with about $600 worth of tools. When they entered the parking lot, surveillance video revealed their identities and license plate.
Officer Lisa Klein says the investigation wouldn’t have been possible without the cameras.
“They did get a tag on this vehicle. They were able to identify the vehicle and the owner of the vehicle,” says Klein. “Then as a result of the investigation in cooperation with the Bath County Sheriff’s Office, they were able to identify all four suspects.”
All four people are charged with one count of grand larceny. Bath County Sheriff’s Deputies made the arrests.
Lee County Fla.
Lee County deputies had a busy day at Gulf Coast Town Center in San Carlos Park Wednesday and Thursday.
Deputies arrested one female for shoplifting Wednesday and took two other reports Thursday — one for shoplifting at Bass Pro and another for burglary of a car.
On Thursday, deputies charged Alissa Lynn Martin, 29, of Fort Myers with shoplifting. Martin allegedly attempted to swipe nine DVDs worth more than $170 Wednesday afternoon.
She was arrested and later released Thursday.
Late Thursday afternoon, someone broke into a car using a flat-bladed tool and swiped a purse that was placed underneath a car seat. Items inside the purse included credit cards, a ladies diamond ring and personal papers, according to a sheriff’s office report.
Mall security told deputies that there has been a “rash” of broken window vehicle burglaries recently.
And finally, deputies apprehended a shoplifter at Bass Pro Thursday evening.
The suspect, a juvenile male, who is still being processed at the Lee County Jail stole two Browning Buckmark decals ($9.95 each), two Eagle hat pin hooks ($2.95 each) and Chums sunglasses lanyard ($6.95).
The suspect attempted to leave the store without paying. At that point, a loss prevention specialist apprehended the suspect and contacted the sheriff’s office.
Albuquerque NM
It was a family outing unlike most: Police said a woman who used to work for the Albuquerque Police Department, along with her son and his wife, tried to shoplift more than $500 worth of clothes Sunday night.
The incident happened at the Kohl’s store on Paseo del Norte in Albuquerque.
An employee of the store noticed two females walking around Kohl’s grabbing large amounts of clothes. The women were not checking prices and just kept adding onto their pile
Loss prevention workers began to monitor the women.
Pictures from the store later allowed police to identify the suspects as Kelly Sandoval and her daughter-in-law, Nikole Zamora.
Workers soon realized two men were with the women. They have been identified as Sandoval’s son, Freddy, and Patrick Otero.
According to the police report, the women were allowed to leave the store with the merchandise.
When the men tried to leave, Sandoval grabbed a bag of clothes and walked outside the store without paying for it, according to police. That’s when investigators said a loss prevention officer approached him, identified himself and Sandoval tried to punch him and a struggle ensued.
The loss prevention officer was struck in the face.
The officer, Jonathan Cisneros, suffered a fractured eye socket.
The suspects left the scene, but video surveillance from the store helped identify the four and their vehicle. When detectives recognized Freddy Sandoval, who was on probation, they had his parole officer call him in for a random urine test.
When he arrived Thursday night, police arrested Sandoval and the two people waiting for him in the car — Zamora and the other male suspect, Otero.
All are charged with felony shoplifting. The two men are also charged with aggravated battery for allegedly beating up the loss prevention officer.
Kelly Sandoval remains on the loose. She used to work in the APD evidence room and was the target of an investigation into missing evidence, but was never charged. She was later removed from her job and fired for an unrelated reason.
If you know Sandoval’s whereabouts, you are asked to call police.
Gastonia NC
A Gastonia woman is accused of stealing jewelry and clothing from a Walmart store Thursday.
Anita Rene Dockery, 52, of the 800 block of Dogwood Lane, was charged with misdemeanor larceny. A loss prevention employee said in an affidavit that she placed two gold-plated cubic zirconia jewelry items, two men’s shirts, two infant tops and two pajama sets in her purse and left the store.
The theft was reported at the Walmart Supercenter at 3000 E. Franklin Blvd. in Gastonia. The merchandise had a total value of $60.92.
Dockery was booked in the Gaston County Jail under a $1,000 secured bond.
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