Thefts Dominate Police Blotter

Thefts from retail stores continued to be a common incident in recent police reports. 

Philadelphia Premium Outlets

The True Religion store at the Philadelphia Premium Outlets has been targeted twice in the last few weeks. 

On October 23, an 18-year-old man, Nigele Lonnel Cobb, was arrested along with a 17-year-old male, and two females, 21-year-old Quawanda Sherrie Simmons and 18-year-old Shontai Whitaker, for allegedly stealing three pairs of jeans from the store. 

Police were called to the store by employees after the four suspects left and got into a car. Officer Kevin McGuigan stopped that car on Route 422 and Detective Matthew Daywalt reported that he arrived and searched the car. 

Daywalt found several "booster bag" inserts in the car, as well as a knife and a pair of pliers. Three pairs of jeans were found in the truck.

All four were arrested. The juvenile was processed and released to his mother. Cobb was released on $1000 bail. Simmons and Whitaker were sent to Montgomery County Correctional Facility in lieu of $5000 bail.  

On November 4, a second alleged theft from the same store resulted in the arrests for 19-year-old Lexus Cache Witaker and a juvenile female, both from Philadelphia. 

Loss prevention staff notified the police that they suspected two females of stealing from the store. Officer Brian Tyler located the two females in the parking lot. 

He searched their bags and found three shirts and a pair of jeans inside, and the purse was lined with a "booster bag". One shirt was discovered to be from the Juicy Couture store, but those employees opted not to press charges. 

The juvenile was released to the custody of her mother, and Witaker was released pending a preliminary hearing. 

In addition to the outlets' True Religion store, thefts were reported from Joe's Jeans, Neiman Marcus, Converse and Famous Footwear.

37-year-old Lezetta Lake, of Philadelphia, was arrested at Joe's Jeans after allegedly stealing a $60 shirt. Lake turned herself in and was arraigned on theft charges. 

Melissa Williams of Philadelphia was arrested at Neiman Marcus for reportedly taking two pairs of shoes, valued at $300. Williams was on probation and was charged and detained. 

Star Acevedo,29, of Allentown was arrested at the outlets after Converse employees called police. Acevedo was found to have two pairs of shoes in her car trunk, one from the Converse store and one from Famous Footwear. She was cited for retail theft and released. 

Costco

Two women were arrested on October 28 for allegedly stealing children's clothing and a book from the Costco warehouse store at 18 Lightcap Road, Limerick. 

Renada Beasley, 34, and Brittany Patrice Paschal, 23, both of Pottstown, reportedly took several clothing items and a copy of the paperback book The Help and put them in a large black purse. 

A loss prevention officer stopped the two women and caled police. Beasley was cited and released.

Paschall had two prior convictions for retail theft. Bail was set at $5000, which was paid, and Paschall was released pending a hearing.