Woman accused of stealing $18K in baby formula ORC ring
A 37-year-old Mississippi woman has been accused of stealing more than $18,000 worth of baby formula from retail outlets in Hammond, Mississippi, and attempting to sell the products through social media. Samone Rimes of McComb was arrested and booked with organized retail theft and possession of stolen property, the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office reported. Members of a retail task force made up of Tangipahoa deputies and Hammond Police Department officers recently launched an investigation into an organized theft operation that has targeted Hammond retailers over the past three months.Detective Travis Pitman began searching through social media accounts and soon arranged for a controlled undercover purchase of baby formula from a woman, later identified as Rimes, according to a sheriff’s office news release.
Detectives recovered surveillance video of thefts from Hammond business and were able to link them to social media advertisements that offered the stolen goods at reduced prices or as a swap for other items, the sheriff’s office reported. Investigators then made contract with the person offering the discount formula and staged an undercover purchase Friday night in the parking lot of the Hammond Square Mall. Once the transaction was completed, Rimes was taken into custody, according to the news release. Rimes confirmed her involvement in an organized retail theft scheme where she targeted numerous retail locations over the past three months, stealing baby formula with the intent to sell the items for profit. Based on evidence and the suspect’s statements, Rimes’ has been connected to retail losses by retailers in excess of $18,000, the sheriff’s office reported. The investigation is on-going and additional arrests are expected in the case. [Source: The Times Picayune]
Two accused of retail theft, one of threat to kill
A man and a woman were arrested Saturday after, police say, they stole shoes, clothes, jewelry and mascara from an Idaho Shopko and the man threatened to kill an employee who tried to stop them. The two suspects, Nicholas Coxey, 33, and Rebecca Dudley, 36, both of Twin Falls, Idaho, took the items Saturday afternoon and tried to leave without paying, Shopko loss prevention told Twin Falls police. Two LP associates followed them out of the store to try to stop and said when one of them approached Dudley, she ran and screamed at them not to touch her. Coxey then dropped the items he was items and said “I will (expletive) kill you” to one of the Shopko employees, while holding a small folding knife, according to a police affidavit. The loss prevention assoiciates let them go but called police. Twin Falls police stopped their car and searched Dudley’s purse and found a shirt, mascara and jewelry, worth about $66, as well as a used syringe. Police then searched the vehicle and found a knife that matched the description and two more syringes, one of which tested positive for heroin. Police said Coxey had taken $114.71 worth of items from Shopko, including men’s and women’s shoes, Hanes underwear, shirts and shorts. [Source: Magic Valley]
Retailer denies wrongdoing in up-skirt photo lawsuit
In a 15-page response, Nordstrom denies any wrongdoing by its corporate office or the Brentwood, Tennessee, Nordstrom Rack, where a man allegedly took photos up a woman’s skirt last year and was later charged by police. The answer comes after a lawsuit filed by the woman in July, identified as Jane Doe, accused a Nordstrom Rack loss prevention associate of negligence when he warned Doe about a man who was closely following her in the store. The associate, who’s not named in the complaint, then left Doe alone for several minutes, telling her he’d “be right back,” the lawsuit says. During that time, Houman Shirinsouei, also named as a defendant in the suit, allegedly squatted down near Doe and took unauthorized photos up her skirt. In the response, filed in Williamson County Circuit Court, Nordstrom admits that its loss prevention employee carried a badge and approached the plaintiff. The LP associate advised Doe “that he received a report that a man fitting the description of Defendant Shirinsouei was acting inappropriately and taking pictures, and he made plaintiff aware of the situation,” the response says. Norstrom argues that all injuries or damages suffered by the plaintiff were caused by Shirinsouei’s conduct, not Nordstrom’s. It also says the loss prevention associate “acted with reasonable and prudent care at all times and that it did not commit any acts” that caused alleged damages to the plaintiff. After the incident, Brentwood police obtained a search warrant for Shirinsouei’s cellphone and other electronic data. The search revealed that Shirinsouei had more than 100 photos taken up the skirts of other women in public places, the lawsuit says. Jane Doe is seeking $1.5 million in compensatory and punitive damages from Nordstrom Inc., $1.5 million from the Nordstrom Rack in Brentwood and $4 million from Shirinsouei. [Source: Tennesseean]
Employee gets caught stealing
Officers responded to Bloomingdale’s in Santa Monica, California, regarding an employee who had stolen money. Officers met with the store’s asset protection manager where officers learned the subject had been under internal investigation for theft dating back since May 2017. At that time, the subject was monitored by store staff removing about $320 from two cash registers. The subject was detained by store staff and admitted to taking over $1500.00. The store was desirous of prosecution and the subject was placed under arrest. Spencer Shelby Smith-Mays, 28, from Chatsworth was arrested for grand theft. Bail was set at $20,000. [Source: Santa Monica Daily Press]
Stolen bag of dog food leads to police chase
Residents in a Farmington Michigan, neighborhood helped police locate a 38-year-old Plymouth resident Thursday after a brief chase through downtown parking lots and streets. Farmington Public Safety Deputy Director Ted Warthman said the man had taken a 50-pound bag of dog food from a Fresh Thyme Farmers Market store shelf and tried to return it. A manager who knew the item had not been purchased said the return required a key. Rather than wait, the man carried the bag out of the store and drove off in a vehicle that bystanders described to police. Warthman said police chased the driver through Public Safety and Farmington Community Library parking lots west of Farmington Road, the vehicle eventually turned onto a dead end street. “He pulls into a driveway on Conroy Court and runs,” Warthman said. “Citizens outside told us which way he went, and officers took him into custody.” The man has been arraigned in 47th District Court on charges that include fleeing and eluding police, resisting arrest, obstruction, and retail fraud. [Source: Farmington Voice]
Meijer theft ends with Walgreens tackle
A man flush in stolen personal hygiene items and flavored vodka fled from authorities before the pursuit concluded with a parking lot tackle. Grand Traverse County sheriff’s deputies arrested a 20-year-old Traverse City, Michigan, man they suspect filled a cart with a bottle of vodka, clothing, several bottles of cologne and other hygienic items before fleeing the Traverse City Meijer store with the merchandise at about 3 p.m. Sunday, Lieutenant Brian Giddis said. Deputies pursued the man, but lost him. They gave chase again when they found the man hiding in a ditch. He ran to a Walgreens pharmacy parking lot where deputies tackled and arrested him. Giddis said officials likely will request retail fraud and resisting and obstructing law enforcement charges. [Source: Record-Eagle]
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