Four Utica women facing charges of assault on security, shoplifting www.privateofficer.com

 

 

New Hartford, N.Y. Dec 29 2011— Four Utica women are facing charges in connection to a shoplifting incident at Sangertown Square last week during which a loss prevention officer was struck by a fleeing vehicle, New Hartford police said.
Charged after an investigation were Lakia Dickson, 24, petit larceny and harassment; Shaquayia Jackson, 20, petit larceny; Dijonnaie Spratt, 19, petit larceny; and Erica Austin, 22, the driver of the fleeing vehicle, reckless endangerment, unlicensed operation and third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and leaving the scene of a personal injury motor vehicle accident.
All four women were released on tickets to appear in New Hartford Town Court at a later date.
New Hartford police were called to the Macy’s store at Sangertown Square shortly before noon on Dec. 23 for an injury stemming from a car accident, police said.
A loss prevention officer from Macy’s had been struck by a vehicle while attempting to stop several woman from shoplifting from the store, police said.
A description of the women and the fleeing vehicle was dispatched to other area police agencies, and the vehicle was later located and stopped on Steuben Street in Utica, police said.
Additional charges are pending further investigation.
Utica police, the New Hartford Fire Department and Edward’s Ambulance assisted police.

Source:Little Falls Times

Security guard charged with murder in Florida www.privateofficer.com

Coconut Creek Fla Oct 25 2009
A man barged into his ex-girlfriend’s Coconut Creek home on Saturday, stabbing her and killing a friend when he tried to protect her, police said.
Paul Gayle, a 28-year-old security guard with a state-issued weapons license, was charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and armed burglary.
Coconut Creek police said Joy Stewart, 36, ended her relationship with Gayle last week and was spending Friday evening with a friend she recently met: 32-year-old Hasting Clarke.
But shortly after midnight Saturday, Gayle showed up at Stewart’s home on the 4100 block of Northwest 43rd Way.
He was planning to carry out a threat he’d made Thursday, said Detective Angela Hofer, a police spokeswoman.
After barging in, Gayle cornered Stewart in a room and stabbed her several times — but Clarke walked in to save her, Hofer said. Stewart seized the opportunity, grabbing a cordless home phone and driving off in her car while calling 911. Seconds later, she flagged down Officer Alejandro Escobar, who found her wounded and frantic.
He and three other officers rushed to her house and arrested Gayle, who was trying to get back into his car, police said.
They also found Clarke, who was killed during the fight.

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KY physical ed teacher accused of student relationship www.privateofficer.com

LOUISVILLE, KY Aug 5 2009 (WAVE) – A physical education teacher and girls basketball coach at Butler High School has been fired for allegedly having an inappropriate relationship with a student. He’s also accused of accepting money from students so they could skip physical activities or have their grades changed.
Coach Michael “Eddy” Wilson taught physical education and coached girls basketball at Butler High School for several years with a good record, but recently, JCPS records indicate parents began coming forward with allegations they were hearing from their children about a relationship between Wilson and an unidentified student.
Parents and students registering for classes at Butler Monday were shocked by the allegations. “Teachers, in my perspective, are there to teach me, not to do anything more,” said Tachae Sowell, an incoming freshman at Butler.
“It’s sickening, and it’s scary too,” said Thereasa Sowell, Tachae’s grandmother.
After reviewing the complaints, JCPS spokeswoman Lauren Roberts said school officials conducted an investigation.
“We did, after reviewing records and evidence, confirm that there was indeed an improper relationship with the student,” Roberts said. “I know everyone is asking does that mean there was a sexual relationship – we were not able to verify that. But there was indeed, based on phone records, an inappropriate relationship under way between the two of them.”
And according to cell phone records, the student and Wilson exchanged more than 555 text messages and calls totaling more than 5,000 minutes from December 2008 to April 2009 – and many of those calls and texts were after midnight.
JCPS’s investigation also revealed that Wilson allegedly took the student on a ski trip to Paoli Peaks in Paoli, Indiana, and that the two reportedly spent a lot of time together after school hours.
The investigation took an unexpected twist, Roberts says, because “students were being charged $3 to not participate in some activities such as running; and then in a couple of cases, there were some students who said their grades were improved based on paying. At least 100 students were able to tell us they paid money or had knowledge of others who tried to get out of class.”
According to the investigation, school officials found over $1,000 in Wilson’s desk. Wilson said he was going to use the money to pay the basketball team’s expenses.
Students registering for Butler told us they’re relieved Wilson won’t be there this year.
“I like gym, and I don’t want a teacher looking at me that way,” Sowell said. “I don’t’ like that type of attention from an adult.”
In a statement given by Wilson to JCPS, he said that he was just being a mentor to that student.
Wilson was hired at Butler in 2003, and had no previous disciplinary problems or complaints before being fired last week.
JCPS has notified Child Protective Services about the issue.

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Police charge man with shooting Fla wildlife officer www.privateofficer.com

COCOA, Fla. July 18 2009 — Police in Brevard County said they’ve made an arrest in the shooting of a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer.
Police said 23-year-old Christopher Eddy was arrested after he was found hiding in a sand dune on Melbourne Beach.
FWC Officer Van Streety, a 10-year FWC veteran, was patrolling near the intersection of Satellite Boulevard and State Road 520 in Brevard County when he was shot multiple times during a routine stop.
“If I wanted to kill him, I could have,” Eddy said after he was arrested. “I shot him in his vest on purpose.”
Streety was saved by a bulletproof vest — and a special coin he had in his pocket, which helped stop one of the bullets. (See Images Of The Coin)
Police said Eddy was stopped by the officer, a struggle started and, according to reports, Eddy pulled out a gun and shot the officer several times.
Streety was attempting to arrest Eddy for warrants issued from Brevard County for multiple traffic violations, officials said.
Eddy said he shot the officer during the routine traffic stop because he had prior traffic tickets and had a warrant out for his arrest for driving without a license.
“I felt my freedom was being violated,” Eddy said. “It was just unjust they way they treated me. They pulled me over, gave me some traffic tickets and sent me right to the court.”
Investigators said they’ve been putting the pressure on Eddy and apparently he couldn’t take it anymore. They said he made one big mistake leading to his capture on Friday when he tried to steal a car from an armed neighbor.
Investigators said they brought the 46-hour manhunt to an end with “luck, intensity and aggression.”
Police said when Eddy tried to steal the car and he was approached by the armed homeowner, Eddy took off running.
“He kept yelling out to the homeowner, ‘I’m homeless, I’m homeless,’” said Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Major Andrew Walters. “You could see he was bug-bitten, but he did see a firearm.”
Walters said when police found Eddy, the fugitive emerged from the sand dunes and turned himself in.
“He led them to a makeshift camp he had been staying in and showed them the firearm,” Walters said.
On Thursday, Eddy’s girlfriend was arrested and is still being held in a Brevard County jail without bond.
A judge said that any attempt on the life of a law enforcement officer “tears at the fabric of our society” and that he wanted her to stay in jail until she comes before a jury on charges of accessory to attempted murder of a law enforcement officer.
Tammi Temple, 37, was arrested Thursday, the same day that what was later identified as a shrapnel bomb was found at her home.
Police found the shrapnel bomb when they served a search warrant at Temple’s home in Melbourne in connection with Wednesday night’s shooting of the FWC law enforcement officer.
Investigators said Temple was in the car with Eddy when he shot the officer. Police said she didn’t come to Streety’s aide but rather helped Eddy get away. Deputies said Floyd Johnson helped Eddy escape, as well. He has been charged with being an accessory after the shooting.
“All I want is a peaceful life,” Eddy said. “I just want some freedom. I guess I’ll never get out of jail for this dumb (expletive).”

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Phoenix sees dramatic rise in shoplifting www.privateofficer.com

PHOENIX AZ May 2 2009 (AP) — Police and prosecutors say they are seeing a dramatic rise in the number of organized shoplifting rings attacking Phoenix-area malls.
Members of one Phoenix family are accused of hitting Chandler Fashion Mall and walking away with $7,500 worth of stolen merchandise, then opening up their home and selling stolen goods, like clothing, right off the rack.
Chandler city prosecutor Tom Zaworski said he has seen a 42 percent increase in the number of shoplifting cases between 2006 and 2008. Among those are the organized retail theft rings.
In the past year alone, Gilbert reported a 27 percent increase in shoplifting cases. Other cities that reported a spike in shoplifting include: Peoria, 19 percent; Scottsdale, 12 percent; and Phoenix, 8.5 percent.
Law enforcement and retailers all point to a variety of causes, including the faltering economy and an increase in retail shops in suburban cities. Once they’ve got the goods, theft rings are turning around and selling stolen items over the Internet.
“It’s become the hot new way to make money for not only gang members, but families. We’re seeing Mom, Dad, Sister and Brother going into stores with shopping carts and walking out,” said Chandler police Sgt. Keith Benjamin. “With new malls going up and bad economic times, we have to attack this now before it becomes to the point where we won’t be able to do anything about it.”
Merchants accuse shoplifting rings for the majority of the billions of dollars in losses posted by retailers. “It’s been a huge problem for a number of years, but it’s a lot more organized now,” said Michelle Ahlmer, president of the Arizona Retailers Association, who started hearing about the shoplifting rings about a decade ago.
In an attempt at getting tough with shoplifting rings, state Sen. Linda Gray, R-Phoenix, introduced a bill that would make organized retail theft a separate criminal charge from shoplifting while stiffening the penalty. “When there’s a large volume of products going out of the store, it affects us all,” Gray said. “Our prices go up.”
The Senate Public Safety and Human Services Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing Wednesday to listen to retailers on the issue of store thefts.

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Shoplifting news and arrests www.privateofficer.com

Atlanta GA March 29 2009
By: Toni Anthony
Staff
Private Officer News Network

http://www.privateofficer.com/

Retail Theft Juan Ramirez, 20, 5917 W. Cermak Road, Cicero, was charged with retail theft after he was spotted stealing four bottles of tequila from Jewel, 9424 S. Pulaski Road, March 12, police said.

WEST ELLICOTT MD – Three Jamestown residents have been charged with petit larceny after allegedly being caught shoplifting at about 7:45 p.m. Tuesday in K-Mart on Fairmount Avenue.
Juan J. Rivera, 29, of 230 E. Second St., Apt. 5, Jamestown; Adeline M. Rodriguez, 18, of 230 E. Second St., Apt. 5, Jamestown, and Carmen M. Rodriguez, 23, of 230 E. Second St., Apt. 5, Jamestown, were charged with one count each of petit larceny. They were charged and released to appear in Ellicott Town Court later.

Slidell LA
Krista A. Giacona, 20, 831 Ashville Drive, Slidell, theft under $300 by shoplifting and possession of marijuana.

Matthew L. Evan, 19, 405 Jupiter Drive, Chalmette, theft uner$300 by shoplifting.

Alicia Talavera, 22, 16 Sampson Lane, Picayune, Miss., theft under $300 by shoplifting.

Emily M. Shockey, 19, 2119 Pine St., New Orleans, theft under $300 by shoplifting.

SIERRA VISTA AZ
douglasdispatch.com — Two Douglas men are accused of shoplifting after they were caught with merchandise from four area stores in their car on Friday.
Brandon M. Arevalo, 23, and Joseph G. Arvizu, 19, both of Douglas, allegedly stole a digital camera from Walmart in Sierra Vista around 12:30 p.m. by cutting the cable securing the item and then fled the scene with the camera, according to a Sierra Vista Police report.
Police spokeswoman Officer Tracy Grady said the two men returned to the store around 2 p.m. and were watched by security personnel who saw Arevalo and Arvizu allegedly attempt to steal two flat screen televisions. Their attempt to take the TVs “out through the garden center part of the store was unsuccessful,” Grady said.
The two suspects then went to their car and were driving out of the parking lot when they were stopped by Sierra Vista police, she said.
It was then the “plain sight doctrine,” came into play, the spokeswoman said.
Articles seen with in a person’s sight can be used to help build a case if a crime is suspected and other merchandise is seen, Grady said.
The items from three different stores at the Mall at Sierra Vista that were in the car also were reportedly shoplifted, she said, adding that during the search of the vehicle a concealed weapon was found
Dillard’s, Famous Footwear and Spencer Gifts were the three mall stores involved.
The two have been charged with shoplifting, attempted shoplifting and carrying a concealed firearm, Grady said.
Arevalo and Arvizu were taken to the Cochise County Jail facility in Sierra Vista where on Monday they were each being held on a $4,000 bond.

Vineland NJ
Sasha L. Green, 21, of Walnut Manor Apartments, was charged Sunday with shoplifting at Acme on South Main Road. She also was processed on two unrelated warrants. Green was transported to the Cumberland County Jail, where she was held in lieu of bail.

Jacquelin Hatch, 47, of the 200 block of North Sixth Street, was charged Sunday with shoplifting items valued at $34.36 from ShopRite on North Delsea Drive. She was processed and released on a summons

Lasean P. Bowser, 22, of the 1500 block of South East Avenue, was charged Sunday with shoplifting at Acme on South Main Road. He was processed and released on a summons.

Chicago IL
A Midlothian man was accused of shoplifting at Chicago Ridge Mall after he fell from a ceiling while trying to hide, police said.

Laroy Getz, 29, of the 14300 block of South Kolin Avenue was charged with resisting arrest and retail theft in the March 4 incident, police said.

After he was spotted allegedly shoplifting at the mall, police said, Getz allegedly ran inside a nearby business where he removed several tiles from a ceiling and climbed up, before falling onto the floor, police said.

Bridgewater NJ
Rosario Scalici, 39, of Rockaway was charged with shoplifting a $100 Bluetooth at Costco in the Bridgewater Promenade.

Samar G. Zahalan, 25, of Newark was charged with shoplifting at Macy’s in Bridgewater Commons mall. A store security officer saw Zahalan place a $50 sweat shirt in her purse and leave the store, police said.

Monish Grover, 34, of Bridgewater was charged with shoplifting a $45 cordless mouse at Costco in the Bridgewater Promenade.

Patricia Acosta-Depinho, 44, of Warren was a charged with shoplifting a portable hard drive and Bluetooth car speaker kit valued at $180 at Costco in the Bridgewater Promenade.

FRAMINGHAM MA – An Arthur Street woman was charged with shoplifting at the local Stop & Shop on Friday afternoon.
Patricia Acosta-Depinho, 26, of 204 Arthur St., was charged with shoplifting at the store around 12:35 p.m., police said

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These are recently reported arrests and shoplifting incidents from across the country.

Oak Lawn IL
Retail Theft- Lauren Green, 11929 Stewart Ave., Chicago, was charged with retail theft after store personnel at Kmart, 4101 W. 95th St., spotted her stealing a pair of shoes and socks from the store March 12, police said.

Indiana police officer nabbed by security for shoplifting www.privateofficer.com

Kokomo IN Mar 26 2009

By: Brett Davis

Private officer News Network

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A Logansport police officer is under arrest, accused of shoplifting from a Target store in Kokomo.
Police charged 49-year-old Russell Bushaw with larceny after being apprehnded by store loss prevention agents. Bushaw is a 21-year veteran of the police force.

Police siad that the off-duty officer is accused of trying to walk off with three Blu-Ray DVDs this week. He was confronted by store security.

In light of the arrest, Assistant Police Chief Mike Morphet is defending the police force’s other 38 officers, saying Bushaw has been suspended and will be dealt with swiftly.

Bushaw has posted bond and has been released. Prosecutors are expected to file misdemeanor charges against him.

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T.V. thefts at Wal-Mart lands man behind bars www.privateofficer.com

T.V. thefts at Wal-Mart lands man behind bars http://www.privateofficer.com

Des Moines IA. March 14 2009
desmoinesregister.com
Waterloo man’s unusual way to get TVs out of Wal-Mart landed him in the Polk County Jail this week.

Willie Fitzgerald Ford, 41, was arrested and charged with second-degree theft related to a pair of August incidents at the south Des Moines Wal-Mart, 5101 S.E. 14th St.Twice during late-night hours, police say Ford took a cart full of flat-screen televisions out through the store’s garden section. He scaled a 10-foot chain-link fence, TV in hand, and dropped the TVs down to the ground one at a time.
On Aug. 1, store security camera footage shows Ford pushing a cart filled with six TVs into the garden section of the store. On Aug. 22, Ford tried the same trick with four more TVs, a police report said. The value of the 10 TVs was $3,468.Police believe the plan was for Ford to drive around to the building’s edge and steal the TVs.But off-duty police officers and Wal-Mart security on both occasions discovered the TVs with damaged boxes before Ford could make it back to the loot.
While the store recovered the TVs, Ford proved more elusive.Sgt. James Butler, working off-duty at the store, spotted the license plate number of Ford’s vehicle on Aug. 22 and requested a warrant for his arrest, the report said.Marshalltown police eventually arrested Ford on Wednesday. He was being held in the Polk County Jail on $15,680 bond.Because of the incidents, Wal-Mart has changed the way people check out some kinds of merchandise, police said.

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Woman and niece laugh as they steal from Wal-Mart www.privateofficer.com

Woman and niece laugh as they steal from Wal-Mart http://www.privateofficer.com

FRAMINGHAM MA Mar 7 2009
metrowest daily news
A Framingham woman and her niece laughed while they packed a bag full of stolen makeup and CDs at Wal-Mart on Wednesday while the woman’s two children watched, police said.
Josephine A. Washburn’s attitude changed when a police officer said he was going to contact the state Department of Children and Families because she was committing a crime in front of her children, police spokesman Lt. Paul Shastany said.
“Josephine pleaded with the officer, ‘Please don’t arrest me. I’ll never do it again,”‘said Shastany. “She didn’t understand why it was neglectful.”
Store security called police around 6 p.m. to report they had two shoplifters in custody.
They told Officer Val Krishtal they watched Washburn, 43, and her 16-year-old niece, fill a bag with makeup and classic rock CDs from the 1970s, such as Foghat, Janis Joplin and Deep Purple, Shastany said. The total price was a little less than $143.
“They were obviously putting the items in the bag while Josephine’s 10- and 12-year-old daughters watched,” he said. “It appeared they were both laughing as they were doing this.”
The group went through the checkout aisle where Washburn paid for $8 worth of goods. Security stopped them with the stolen items.
Washburn and the 16-year-old girl, who was on probation for shoplifting in Natick, were charged with shoplifting of property worth more than $100.
Washburn’s children were picked up by a relative, and the police contacted the state.
Washburn, of 7 Lexington St., pleaded not guilty at her Framingham District Court arraignment yesterday, and was released without bail. She is due back in court on April 17 for a pretrial conference.

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Repeat offender charged in shoplifting incident http://www.privateofficer.com

Mesa AZ Mar 3 2009
A Mesa woman was arrested Sunday in a Target parking lot in Mesa on suspicion of shoplifting multiple times from the store, police said.
Andrea M. McDevitt, 47, allegedly entered the store at 1135 S. Gilbert Road with a large black jacket draped over the child seat of a shopping cart, police said.
The suspect then put health and beauty items, batteries, chargers and an MP3 player in the jacket and attempted to leave the store without paying, police reports stated
McDevitt allegedly cut the electronics off their hooks with small clippers and also had a pocketknife on her, police said.
According to Target employees, McDevitt had been in the store numerous times in the past, police said.
A criminal background check on the suspect revealed that McDevitt was convicted of shoplifting in July 2007 and last August. McDevitt also had an outstanding felony warrant for a probation violation outside of Maricopa County, police said.
Overall, McDevitt faces three counts of shoplifting for the incident Sunday and for two other incidents in mid-February, Mesa police said.

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Woman arrested in pain medicine caper http://www.privateofficer.com

Bessemer NC Mar 2 2009

By: Rick McCann

Private Officer News Network

http://www.privateofficer.com/

A woman from Bessemer City must have had a mighty headache because police said that she went into a local Wal-Mart store and is accused of stealing 27 boxes of pain reliever on Saturday.
Loss prevention agents told police that they watched Sheila K. Bridges, 41, of 303 E. Maryland Ave., take 25 boxes of Advil and two boxes of Tylenol from the Wal-Mart Supercenter, 3000 E. Franklin Blvd., Gastonia.

A store loss prevention employee said in an arrest warrant affidavit that Bridges concealed the pain relievers in her purse and shopping cart, then left the store without paying for them.
The over-the-counter medications have a combined value of $232.04, according to the affidavit.
As she left the store, the loss prevention agent stopped her and notified police.

Bridges was charged with misdemeanor larceny and booked in the Gaston County Jail under a $1,500 secured bond.

If she didn’t have a headache at the store, she probably does now.

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SC teacher charged with lewd acts with teens www.privateofficer.com

SC teacher charged with lewd acts with teens http://www.privateofficer.com

LEXINGTON, S.C.Feb 7 2009
state.com — A South Carolina elementary school teacher was being held on charges of committing or trying to commit lewd acts with two teenage girls.
Twenty-six-year-old Daniel Roger Bilbo of Lexington was arrested and charged Thursday.

The State newspaper reported that Bilbo was being held on a $100,000 bond.
Lexington District 2 said that Bilbo is on administrative leave with pay.
Assistant superintendent Jim Hinton says Bilbo teaches at Herbert A. Wood Elementary but was charged for activities while serving as basketball coach at Pine Ridge Middle School.
A warrant states the incidents occurred between Oct. 1 and Jan. 22 at the school during school events.
The girls, both under age 16, reported the incidents to school officials and Pine Ridge police.
It was unclear Friday if Bilbo had a lawyer.

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High school student charged with armed assault www.privateofficer.com

High school student charged with armed assault http://www.privateofficer.com

Allentown PA Feb 7 2009
A 17-year-old Allen High School boy was charged as an adult with trying to stab a man with a pair of scissors Thursday afternoon in front of the school, according to court records.

An Allentown police officer and a school security guard who were monitoring school dismissal saw what was happening and were able to stop David J. Gibbs of 131 S. Hall St. before he could injure the unidentified victim, who Assistant Chief Ron Manescu said vanished with the wave of students leaving the school at 3:06 p.m.

Police said Gibbs took several swipes with the scissors to the victim’s neck.The police officer said the incident happened in front of the school in the 100 block of N. 17th Street when Gibbs ran toward the victim with a pair of 5- to 6-inch scissors protruding between his fingers.

He took four to five punch-like thrusts to the victim’s neck and back with the point of the scissors sticking out from between his fingers, according to court documents.
Gibbs was taken down by the officer and security guard before the intended victim was injured. Gibbs admitted stealing the scissors from the school and putting them between his fingers because he ”thought there would a problem outside after school,” police said.

Gibbs was charged with aggravated assault, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possessing an instrument of crime, reckless endangerment, possession of a weapon on school property and simple assault.

He was arraigned before District Judge Patricia Engler and sent to Lehigh County Prison under $150,000 bail, police said.

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Norridge Police Reports-Shoplifting Arrests www.privateofficer.com

Norridge Police Reports-Shoplifting Arrests http://www.privateofficer.com

NORRIDGE IL. Feb 5 2009

Brett Davis

http://www.privateofficer.com/

Recent shoplifting and theft arrests as reported by the police.

• Jennifer Tarsa, 30, of 2619 N. Newcastle Ave., Chicago, was arrested Jan. 20 and charged with retail theft and aggravated battery. Store security agents at Target, 4050 N. Harlem Ave., told police they saw Tarsa conceal 14 boxes of perfume in a pink backpack taken from a display. She left the store without paying for the merchandise, valued at $592.75, police said.

When stopped, Tarsa complained of chest pains, police said; she was transported to Resurrection Medical Center in Chicago and admitted overnight for tests and observation. Police said Tarsa fit the description of the woman who had taken five bottles of perfume, valued at $364, from Ulta, 4115 N. Harlem Ave., on Jan. 13. When an employee tried to stop her, Tarsa allegedly punched her in the face, causing swelling and bleeding. At a Jan. 22 hearing, bond for Tarsa was set at $70,000. She is scheduled to appear in court Feb. 19.

• Terry Level, 27, of 7251 N. Bell Ave., Chicago, was arrested Jan. 19 at Kohl’s, 4220 N. Harlem Ave., and charged with felony retail theft. Kohl’s agents told police they saw Level take jewelry items to a fitting room where she concealed them in her purse. She left the store without paying for the concealed items, police said. At a Jan. 20 hearing, bond for Level was set at $3,000. She is slated to appear in court Feb. 19.

• Jesse Coyazo, 18, of 4121 N. Kimball Ave., Chicago, was arrested Jan. 25 at Target, 4050 N. Harlem Ave., and charged with retail theft. Bond for Coyazo was set at $1,000. He is scheduled for a Feb. 19 court appearance.

• Mariana Sepulveda, 35, of 3723 W. Cullom Ave., Chicago, was arrested Jan. 25 at Kohl’s, 4220 N. Harlem Ave., and charged with retail theft. Police said Sepulveda and a female juvenile — both of whom worked in the store’s security office — took several items from the sales floor to a fitting room. According to police reports, Sepulveda left the store wearing three items, valued at $49, for which she hadn’t paid, and the juvenile had one item valued at $14. Bond for Sepulveda was set at $1,000. She is slated for a Feb. 19 court appearance. The juvenile was released to her mother’s custody. There were no charges filed against the juvenile, who had no prior criminal history, police said.

CREDIT MISUSE
• Dianne Dibrito, 39, of 4424 N. Kasson Ave., Chicago, was arrested Jan. 25 at Great American Jewelry, 4158 N. Harlem Ave., and charged with unlawful use of a credit card. Police said Dibrito tried to use another woman’s identification card to purchase jewelry. According to police reports, Dibrito also had the other woman’s two Visa cards and platinum MasterCard in her possession. Dibrito is scheduled for a March 9 court appearance.

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Best Buy employee charged with theft over $10,000 www.privateofficer.com

Best Buy employee charged with theft over $10,000 http://www.privateofficer.com

Fort Smith Ark. Dec 28 2008 – An 18-year old Best Buy employee faces theft charges after store officials discovered more than $10,000 worth of electronic products were missing, according to a Fort Smith police report.
Gary Brown Jr. of Van Buren was arrested Sunday on a charge of felony theft. Officials at the Best Buy at 4195 Phoenix Ave. told police that over the past three weeks, 39 iPods, two cell phones, a laptop computer and a digital camera were taken.
Brown has been released from the Sebastian County jail on a $3,500 bond. It couldn’t be determined Wednesday if formal charges have been filed.
The police report listed six other Best Buy employees as suspects, but no other arrests have been made, according to police records.
Police spokesman Sgt. Levi Risley said one of the suspects, Cory Evans, 18, of Muldrow, Okla., was arrested Sunday on an unrelated felony shoplifting charge that also involved Best Buy merchandise. Jail records show he was released Sunday after posting a $1,500 bond.
The police report stated Brown admitted taking several items. He said he unloaded trucks at the store and would put items in an empty box and throw it into a large trash compactor. When the compactor was full, he would climb in to collapse the boxes in it and would place the stashed items in his pockets and leave with them.
He said he sold many of the items.
Brown told officers he threw the items into the compactor because he knew there were surveillance cameras in the loading area but that inside the compactor was out of their range.
Store officials became suspicious because products ordered were missing, the report said. Surveillance camera footage showed suspicious activity, but the thefts were not witnessed because there were no cameras in the compactor.

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Shoplifter charged after pepper spraying security www.privateofficer.com

Shoplifter charged after pepper spraying security http://www.privateofficer.com

Sioux Falls SD Dec 11 2008

By: Bryan Hill
NTL. ASSOC. PRIVATE OFFICERS
www.privateofficer.com
A Sioux Falls woman faces serious charges after assaulting security officers who were attempting to detain her in a shoplifting incident according to police .
The woman identified as Lauara Marie Rivera was arrested Dec. 9 after she sprayed a loss-prevention officer who stopped her for shoplifting, police spokesman Sam Clemens said.

The 48-year-old security officer told police she saw Rivera, 33, place several household items into a cart at Lewis Drug on West 41st Street, then leave without paying for them, Clemens said.
At that point security agents stopped Rivera and she became combative and sprayed the officer in the face with Mace, police said.
Other loss-prevention officers assisted in detaining Rivera.

She was arrested for shoplifting and simple assault.

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Theft turns into drug charges for shoplifter www.privateofficer.com

Theft turns into drug charges for shoplifter http://www.privateofficer.com

ZEPHYR HILLS Fla. Dec 7 2008
After being nabbed by Wal-Mart’s officers for trying to steal merchandise, Scott A. Preli tried to hide his drugs ­— stored in an eyeglass case — behind a computer tower in the room where he was being questioned, according to an arrest report from the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.
The report said that Preli, 28, of Zephyrhills, put items totalling $350.80 into a bag and walked out of the store, where he was stopped by loss prevention officers and escorted back inside.
The eyeglass case contained a hypodermic needle, a spoon and two plastic bags containing trace amounts of “an unknown white powder substance.”
He is charged with retail theft and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is being held in the Land O’Lakes jail in lieu of $2,650 bail.

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Shoplifter swallows merchandise www.privateofficer.com

Shoplifter swallows merchandise http://www.privateofficer.com

NAPLES, Fla., Dec. 2 2008

BY: Rick McCann
NTL. ASSOC. PRIVATE OFFICERS

http://www.privateofficer.com/

Loss prevention agents who work for some of the largest retailers in the country see a lot of things while on the job much the same as a law enforcement officer would.

But security agents at a J.C. Penney said that when they stopped a man for shoplifting a pair of earrings and he swallowed the evidence, it was a new one on them.
Police now accuse the Florida teenager of stealing a pair of earrings from a JCPenney store and attempting to hide the evidence by swallowing it.
William Colburn, 18, of Naples was taken into custody Saturday by store security officers and while being detained, swallowed the jewelry.

When police arrived and was told of the incident, rather than letting the shoplifter go, they took him into custody and drove him to NCH Downtown Naples Hospital, where the earrings were spotted in his stomach via an X-ray, the Naples Daily News reported Monday.
Store security officers also found a small amount of marijuana on the suspect while searching him for the earrings, police said.
Colburn was charged with retail theft, tampering with evidence and possession of marijuana and was transported to jail where he was being held on a bond release.

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Shoplifting/ Retail Security News www.privateofficer.com

Shoplifting/ Retail Security News http://www.privateofficer.com

Atlanta GA. Nov 30 2008

Braintree MA
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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On The Job -Retail Security Agents –(PART TWO) www.privateofficer.com

On The Job -Retail Security Agents http://www.privateofficer.com

Atlanta GA. Nov 29 2008

BY: Rick McCann
NTL. ASSOC. PRIVATE OFFICERS

http://www.privateofficer.com/

Her day starts with a review of security video footage from the stockroom and loading dock area as well as several other sensitive areas of the store.

She sips her coffee and scans the video for any telltale signs of internal theft or someone found where they shouldn’t have been.

On this day, she spots an electronics department associate in the electronics security cage several times without any apparent reason.

The associate doesn’t leave the area with anything visibly in their hands but they could have concealed merchandise on their person so she makes an incident report of this and she decides that she’ll set up a covert camera inside the cage later tonight after the store is closed and all employees have left.

The rest of the video showed basic activity so she calls one of her loss prevention agents on the 2-way radio and they meet at the center of the store and take a walk through together looking for shoplifting activity as they talk.

The LP agent fills her boss in on a shoplifting case that she had the night before that resulted in three arrests. The three had concealed a laptop computer and tried fleeing with it. The LP had been watching them since they first had entered the store because of something that just didn’t look right about the trio and as an experienced loss prevention agent she decided to observe them for a while and it didn’t take long for them to prove her suspicions right.

While the average shoplifter ranges in age from 12-80 and from every employment and financial background imaginable, there are a few things that store security agents watch for. Big empty bags are his biggest red flags, heavy coats when the weather is warm, lingering in an aisle for long periods of time, or piling shopping carts full of expensive electronics or clothing signal possible door busters, (those who run for the door with the cart) merchandise stockpiled in an out of way area of the store usually is a sign that one person planted it there for another to pick up later and there are other signs as well.

Karen Brown spent nine years as a police officer before her career came to an end as a speeding drunk driver crashed into her patrol vehicle as she was on a traffic stop and issuing a citation. She sustained multiple fractures, lacerations and other injuries and although she recovered and went back to her beat four months later, she continued to experience flashbacks and sleepless nights and post traumatic anxiety which eventually led her to resigning and taking a retail security position. A decision that she doesn’t regret as she now leads a team of thirty agents in numerous stores as a regional loss prevention director. She said that she has fully made the changeover from a law enforcement officer to a private security agent and that she thoroughly enjoys her work. Much of her time these days is spent looking at the paper trail of refund scammers or shipping errors or video of suspected dishonest employees, credit card, and check fraud suspects, investigating slip and falls and training and mentoring her loss prevention staff. And she often works on cases with her friends and former co-workers at police headquarters as well as numerous other local, state, and federal agencies. She has initiated and ran joint investigations with area police, the U.S. Marshal’s, U.S. Secret Service and several state law enforcement agencies. It’s something different everyday Brown says with a smile on her face. I can really see myself doing this until I’m too old to see or drive or my mind is completely gone, she laughs as she glances across the wall of video monitors.

Undercover security officers are used by retail stores to stop theft, both internally (employees) and externally (customers). These officers are plain-clothed and blend in with shoppers. Others monitor and record suspicious activity or thefts in progress from a security officer somewhere off from the sales floor. It’s not like it was twenty years ago when Craig Moore first started with the K-Mart company. We would have to climb up onto these little platforms that were in the back stockroom area with one way glass that looked out onto certain areas of the store. Sometimes we’d be stuck there for hours observing a particular employee or we’d have to maneuver from one perch to the other trying to keep an eye on a shoplifter while staying out of sight. Once a shoplifter concealed the merchandise we then had to race to the floor while trying to keep an eye on them until they left without paying for the stuff. It was hard to do but we got the job done and caught the thief he said shaking his head. Now, there’s camera everywhere and no more climbing or jumping around Moore laughs as he points to a female mannequin. See her eyes, those are cameras. Pretty cool he says with another hearty laugh. Yup, we got it much easier than the store detectives did ten or twenty years ago.

Retail security agents do have the authority to stop and detain you and in certain states “arrest” a suspected shoplifter or person involved in criminal activity within their store or on the store’s property. Although most of the time loss prevention agents are busy with theft issues, they can also find themselves in the middle of a domestic fight, child abuse case, assault incident, lost or missing children searches, “peeping toms” incidents and an array of other criminal activity that they are called to.

The job is high-stress as the demand to meet certain productivity levels creates a lot of pressure. Though there might not be a quota put on the security agents, like law enforcement officers there is an expectation of production and job performance which really equates to monthly quotas Brown said. If a full time loss prevention agent in a high traffic or a high shrinkage store is only averaging three or four apprehensions a month there is a problem she said. Maybe they need to be retained on what to look for or maybe they spend too much time talking to store associates or on the phone with friends and family. While there is no certain number of shoplifters that a loss prevention agent should catch each month, in most cases there is a goal based on what previous security agents accomplished in that particular store. Some agents are very good at their job and will easily apprehend 20-30 each month while others average 6-10 apprehensions. The numbers depend on store location, volume of sales, floor traffic, and a number of other criteria that loss prevention management considers when looking at productivity.

While the entry level pay for loss prevention agents exceed minimum wages by a few bucks more and most stores offer some form of medical insurance, vacation and holiday pay and other perks not often seen in a uniform security guard position, no one is getting rich. But there is plenty of room for advancement especially with large box type stores who are still expanding and opening new stores. The next level above an agent would be a store security manager and then a district loss prevention manager position and from there a regional position which is where someone can make a very good living Brown said. It doesn’t take long either. I started out as an agent and three years later I’m the area manager so as you can see there is opportunity in retail security if you like the security business.

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Security officer struck by vehicle www.privateofficer.com

Security officer struck by vehicle http://www.privateofficer.com

Rochester NY. Nov 29 2008

By: Bryan Hill
NTL. ASSOC. PRIVATE OFFICERS

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Police said that a security bouncer working at Mark’s Texas Hots nightclub on Monroe Avenue was taken to the hospital after being hit by a car.

Police said that at around 3 a.m. the security person was breaking up a fight between a man and his wife when he was struck by a vehicle in the parking lot.
Someone hit him and knocked the unidentified security bouncer to the ground.
Medical personnel and police responded to the club and the security person was transported to an area hospital. He has minor back injuries according to medical personnel.

Police are investigating, but they think it was just an accident.

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K-Mart employee charged in felony theft scam www.privateofficer.com

K-Mart employee charged in felony theft scam http://www.privateofficer.com

WOODBRIDGE NJ Nov 25 2008

BY: Rick McCann
NTL. ASSOC. PRIVATE OFFICERS

http://www.privateofficer.com/
Authorities say that they were notified by a local loss prevention manager that an employee had scammed the store out of a large amount of merchandise and cash.
Police investigators assisted security agents at the K-Mart store where they found that an electronics department employee had been stealing both mass amounts of merchandise and cash from her employer. The Rahway woman was arrested Friday for allegedly having stolen $130,000 in cash and merchandise from the K-Mart store she worked at for about a year, police said Monday
According to the investigation by internal loss prevention agents, employee Alexandria Dozier, 21, had carried electronics out of the St. Georges Avenue store in K-Mart bags for several months, a police report said.

She also allegedly rang up items on the register without actually paying for them, then returned them and took the money, a security manager told police.

According to police, officers arrived at the K-Mart and met with store security personnel and took dozier into custody just before 7 p.m. and charged her with a series of felony theft charges.
She was booked into and then later released from the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center in North Brunswick on Saturday after posting $25,000 bail, according to officials there.

But this investigation is not over said K-Mart loss prevention officials who say that they are still conducting an ongoing investigation and that more arrests may occur, the police report said.

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Shoplifters run over security officer in GA. www.privateofficer.com

Shoplifters run over security officer in GA. http://www.privateofficer.com

SANDY SPRINGS,(Atlanta) Ga. Nov 23 2008

BY: Rick McCann
NTL. ASSOC. PRIVATE OFFICERS

http://www.privateofficer.com/
Police say fleeing shoplifters caused a massive multi-vehicle crash tieing up traffic and causing havoc near the Perimeter Mall on Friday.
One shoplifting suspect was in custody and two more were on the loose and authorities were hunting them don and said that they had several leads as to the identity of them following a shoplifting incident at the mall.

Police said that after the shoplifters fled the store and into their vehicle they struck a security officer with a vehicle while trying to get away from the scene

The vehicle later crashed into other cars at nearby intersection of Mt. Vernon Highway and Abernathy Road.

There were no reports of injuries.

During the initial information release police did not release the stores involved or the items taken in the original theft incident and police did not release the name of the suspect who they already had in custody.

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Robbers flee, money flies and tires go pop www.privateofficer.com

Robbers flee, money flies and tires go pop http://www.privateofficer.com

LAURINBURG NC Nov 18 2008
fayobserver.com — Twenty-dollar bills were fluttering from the windows of the Nissan Altima speeding up the highway at more than 100 mph.
“It was raining money last night,” Laurinburg Police Capt. Kim Monroe said Monday.
The cash was coming from two robbery suspects trying to get rid of evidence while they were trying to get away from police, investigators said.
The events that led up to the chase began with a robbery at the Big Lots store on South Main Street about 8 p.m. Sunday, Monroe said.
Two men carrying guns forced the five store workers on duty into an office and made the manager open the safe, Monroe said.
The men used rope to tie the employees together and left in a Nissan with about $2,000, Monroe said.
Moments later, Officer Robert Carlisle pulled a Nissan over on North Main Street for a traffic violation. Then he heard the description of the robbers and the getaway car.
As additional officers arrived, the men sped away in the Nissan, headed north toward Aberdeen on U.S. 15-501.
Police were assisted by Scotland County deputies and wildlife officers, Monroe said.
Speeds topped 120 mph, Monroe said.
The car was finally stopped by using spiked strips that deflated the tires, Monroe said.
The men — identified as Michael Anthony Leslie and Jeremy Donaldson Ross — were arrested and charged with robbing Big Lots.
Police reported finding a BB pistol in the car, Monroe said.
The two also have been charged with two robberies reported last week at the Dollar Tree and Pizza Hut in Laurinburg, Monroe said.
Witnesses in those incidents said one man wore a blue bandana to cover part of his face and the other wore white Latex gloves.
Big Lots workers told police that one of the robbers was wearing a blue bandana, Monroe said. Police also found Latex gloves in the vehicle.
Leslie, 38, of the 100 block of Charlie Lane in Carthage, and Ross, 28, of the 1700 block of Lower Moncure Road in Sanford, are charged with three counts each of armed robbery and conspiring to commit armed robbery; nine counts of kidnapping; and speeding to elude arrest.
Both have prior records, Monroe said.
In 1986, Leslie was sentenced in Oklahoma to 15 years for second-degree murder, according to the state’s Department of Correction records.
Leslie was released in February 2001, according to records.
Ross is wanted in Columbia, S.C., on armed robbery charges, Monroe said.
Both are in the Scotland County jail with bail set at $1million each.

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Security officers aid crash victims www.privateofficer.com

Security officers aid crash victims http://www.privateofficer.com

Santa Rosa CA NOV 18 2008

Kyle T. Greene
NTL. ASSOC. PRIVATE OFFICERS
www.privateofficer.com
An out-of-control car crashed into a ditch and catapulted into a busy flea market south of Sebastopol on Sunday, coming to rest on its roof just yards from booths and shoppers.As spectacular as the post-collision scene appeared, no one at the market was injured, and the two women in the car apparently suffered only minor injuries, according to the CHP.
“It’s a miracle,” said Bob DeCaro, a security officer at Midgley’s Country Flea Market off Highway 116 south of Bloomfield Road.
It appears the car, a late-model Toyota Camry, was being driven toward Sebastopol about 11:45 a.m. when for some reason, the driver veered hard to the left across traffic.
The car ran over a small ditch, clipping a stand of mailboxes, crossed a dirt driveway, careened over another ditch and into a chain-link fence surrounding the flea market.
At least two large chunks of the car’s fender were left on the driveway.
The car then catapulted into the pampas grass and small trees lining the second ditch, flipping over and landing on its roof inside an unused parking area of the market.
“I heard a big bang and turned and saw it flip,” said Rolinda Smith, who runs a booth about 60 yards away. “I couldn’t understand what happened.”
Another nearby booth operator, Dawn Silveira, said she turned to see the car in the air.
“As it was flying, it did a 180-degree turn in the air and landed on its back.”
Mya Weston, whose sales booth is the nearest table to the crash, about 30 yards away, said she didn’t hear any brake sounds before the wreck.
“I just heard crunching in the bushes,” she said. “I looked around, and it just did a flip in the air. It was all in slow motion. It felt like five minutes, but it was five seconds. I thought it was going to blow.”
DeCaro said he rushed to the crash site, where an off-duty sheriff’s deputy and registered nurse were looking after the women.
“I was trying to back people off,” he said.
Another security guard, Sergio Cuevas, said the two women were conscious but “super shocked.”
A CHP officer accompanied the women, possibly a mother and daughter, to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital to try to determine what happened.
The women’s names were unavailable late Sunday.
Though details were still sketchy, CHP Sgt. Jeff Abrams suspected the driver may have swerved to avoid traffic that routinely backs up along that stretch of Highway 116.
There was no indication the driver was impaired by drug or alcohol use, he said. The car was registered out of Burlingame, so the occupants may have been shoppers visiting the area’s many antique and second-hand stores.

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3 Arrested in seperate shoplifting incidents www.privateofficer.com

3 Arrested in seperate shoplifting incidents http://www.privateofficer.com

Braintree Ma NOV 14 2008

crimeblogger

 Police made three arrests for shoplifting and larceny at the South Shore Plaza on Nov. 8, Deputy Chief Russell Jenkins told the Forum.
Shortly after 8:30 p.m., officers responded to Filene’s Basement to investigate a report that two women were stealing cologne.
Loss prevention followed the women, later identified as Eunice Innocent, 21, and Shaquel S. Thomas, 20, both of Dorchester, out of the store after observing them allegedly conceal $382 worth of cologne in a baby carriage that Thomas was pushing.
The women were brought back to Filene’s Basement where Officer Michael Want placed them under arrest for larceny over $250.
Innocent was also charged on an outstanding arrest warrant for operating after suspension.
Less than 15 minutes later, a man sitting in his car in the parking lot while waiting for his wife called police to report a woman running from Macy’s with stolen merchandise.
The man later told police that the woman, later identified as Suzanne B. Reed, 31, of South Boston, ducked behind a parked car when she saw a Plaza security vehicle approach her.
“The man, a 50-year-old resident of Randolph, also told officers that he could see coats hanging out of her shopping bags and one of them still had the security tag attached,” Jenkins said. “He reported that the woman was walking toward Granite Street.”
Officer Brendan McLaughlin, who was working a traffic post at Granite Street and Forbes Road, reported locating the woman at the Mobil on the Run gas station across from the Plaza.
Coats stolen from Macy’s totaling over $500, along with $250 worth of additional merchandise stolen from Victoria’s Secret, Express, and Gap Kids, were recovered by officers, Jenkins said.
Reed was charged with one count each of larceny over and larceny under $250.

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Jail officer charged with shoplifting www.privateofficer.com

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Shreveport LA NOV 13 2008

By: Bryan Hill
NTL. ASSOC. PRIVATE OFFICERS
www.privateofficer.com
Authorities say that a Shreveport City Jail officer has been placed on administrative leave after being charged with shoplifting over the week-end.

According to a police report, Jiontanelle Owens was in uniform when she aledgedlly took several items from Village Mart in the 2500 block of Hollywood, said Sgt. Jim Taliaferro, police spokesman.“

She was seen on store video, by store employees,” Taliaferro said.

“After she left the store, they went to the area where the suspicious activities occurred and realized that there was specific clothing missing.”
Employees of the store notified police of the incident and after an investigation, Owens confessed to taking a warm-up suit valued at less than $200, which later was returned to the store. Owens, who was hired as a jailer in August 2007, was immediately placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation.

She was issued a summons ordering her to appear in court.

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Shoplifter leaves her picture behind www.privateofficer.com

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VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. NOV 13 2008 – Police say a woman who fled with thousands of bras and panties from a Virginia Beach lingerie shop left them with a key piece of evidence: her photo on a cell phone.

Police have issued a photo of the suspect, a young woman who they believe stole $3,300 worth of the undergarments from Victoria’s Secret.

Police spokesman Adam Bernstein said the woman dropped her cell phone as she ran from the store Sunday after a clerk asked if she needed help.

The woman is suspected of taking 45 low-cut bras and 105 panties.
Police also released another photo found on her phone.

They believe he is either an accomplice or an acquaintance. Investigators believe the woman has stolen from other Victoria’s Secrets in the state.

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Wild night for fleeing shoplifter www.privateofficer.com

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Statesville NC NOV 12 2008

By: Bryan Hill
NTL. ASSOC. PRIVATE OFFICERS
www.privateofficer.com
A man trying to flee from Wal-Mart security attempted to jump into a vehicle and was hit in the face by the driver and then struck by the vehicle.
Kevin Michael Coletti Duckworth was treated for a broken jaw and laceration to the chin, said Statesville Police Department Interim Assistant Chief Bill Halliburton.
Halliburton said police officers were called Saturday to the Wal-Mart on Glenway Drive Saturday at around 1:20a.m. and officers met with security officers and tried to talk with Duckworth, who was already in custody in the security office.
Halliburton said that loss prevention officers told police Duckworth and three others, two women and one man, were in the store earlier.
They said the four ran while a receipt was being checked at the door, and Duckworth tried to jump into a black Ford Bronco in the parking lot.
Halliburton said the driver of the Bronco hit Duckworth in the face and knocked him out of the vehicle. The Bronco then ran over Duckworth.
Halliburton said Duckworth was intoxicated and couldn’t offer much information.

The driver of the Bronco left the scene before police arrived.
Duckworth was taken into custody and treated for his injuries.

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K-Mart employee, family charged in theft scheme www.privateofficer.com

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Naples FL NOV 12 2008

Kyle T. Greene
NTL. ASSOC. PRIVATE OFFICERS
www.privateofficer.com
An 18-year-old store cashier, his mother and an aunt were arrested Sunday after Collier County sheriff’s deputies say they stole merchandise from the Kmart store in Golden Gate.
Michael P. Hernandez and Maria Rodriguez, 41,both of 1798 55th St. S.W., were each charged with grand theft. Maria Lastenia-Cruz, 41, also of the same address, was charged with petty theft.
Hernandez is charged with “passing” items to his mother, Rodriguez, and his aunt, Cruz, on two separate occasions over the weekend while he was working as a cashier at the store, 4955 Golden Gate Parkway, arrest reports said.
A store security officer told deputies that on Saturday she watched Hernandez scan $184 worth of merchandise, void the transaction and then allow Rodriguez to leave the store with the items as if they were paid in full, reports said.
The security officer told deputies that on Sunday she once again watched Hernandez scan items for his family, reports said.
He passed $21.19 worth of items for Lastenia-Cruz and $175.30 for Rodriguez. After both transactions were complete, his aunt and mother left the store without paying for the merchandise, reports said.

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