Woman Arrested at Home After Stealing from ShopRite

Around 4:12 PM on March 26, 2024, Patrolman Kevin Tranz with the Lacey Township Police Department responded to a report of a shoplifting at ShopRite on 344 North Main Street. He entered the store and walked over to the loss prevention office. In the loss prevention office, he met with the loss prevention officer. The loss prevention officer informed him that at 9:05 AM earlier that day, a female customer, later identified as Danielle, entered the self-checkout area and only paid for some of the items in her shopping cart before leaving the store.

Before she entered the self-checkout area, surveillance footage indicated that she had taken a Mario Kart toy from a shelf and “returned” the item to customer service and got $44.99 in store credit. After she obtained the $44.99 in store credit, she used it to only purchase $36.27 worth of items while leaving the store with an additional $182.03 worth of unpaid items. The loss prevention officer followed her on the surveillance camera as she left the store and walked over to a white 2019 Jeep Compass. The camera captured the vehicle’s license plate, and he provided that to Patrolman Tranz.

After the loss prevention officer provided Patrolman Tranz with the receipt for the toy she “returned” for store credit, a receipt for the $182.03 worth of unpaid items, and a copy of the surveillance footage corroborating his account, Patrolman Tranz searched the Spillman software system and located the owner of the white 2019 Jeep compass. He acquired an address for the owner that was also in Lacey Township.

Patrolmen Tranz and Carver responded to the residential address at 5:09 PM following their investigation. At the residence, they located the white 2019 Jeep Compass and made contact with a female matching the description in the surveillance footage. After she was Mirandized, the female was asked if she had been at ShopRite earlier that day. She initially told the officers through her window that she was at ShopRite the previous day, but denied any wrongdoing. Patrolman Tranz informed Danielle that she was under arrest for shoplifting and instructed her to exit the residence. As she exited the residence, she vaped in Patrolman Tranz’s face before Patrolman Carver took her vape pen.

Danielle was escorted out of the residence, placed in handcuffs, searched, and then placed inside the patrol car. Patrolman Tranz transported Danielle to the Lacey Township Police Department for further processing. At the station, Patrolman Carver finger printed and photographed her. Patrolman Tranz charged Danielle with Shoplifting under 2C:20-11B(1) and Theft by Decption under 2C:20-4. After they were finished processing her, Danielle was released pending her court appearance and Patrolman Tranz transported her back to her residence.

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