A 37-year-old Oxford woman is facing retail fraud charges for allegedly stealing more than $10,000 worth of merchandise from various Kohl’s department stores throughout southeastern Michigan and selling them on eBay.
The woman, who is an attorney, was arrested May 9 by Farmington Hills Police at a Kohl’s on Grand River.
Farmington Hills Police Chief William Dwyer said the woman was seen allegedly putting an electric mixer, valued at $500, in the trunk of her car by a ‘very alert? loss prevention officer for Kohl’s.
She then sent back into the store and allegedly put a vacuum into a bag in her shopping cart before going through the checkout without paying for it.
Dwyer said the loss prevention officer matched the woman’s license plate number to the one in a bulletin issued from Kohl’s before calling police.
Farmington Hills Police arrested the woman at the store. She later admitted to the retail fraud and selling the items online, according to Dwyer.
Her involvement in retail fraud from the Troy and Auburn Hills Kohl’s stores and a Marshall Field’s store in Saginaw have also been confirmed, the chief said.
‘She’s been operating for at least six months,? Dwyer said. ‘She had different methods as far as (how) the retail frauds were committed.?
The woman would allegedly sell the items, or, in some cases Kohl’s gift cards, on eBay using the name ?1legaleagle1.?
Dwyer said she tried to get her neighbor to store the allegedly stolen merchandise in their garage after she had been arrested.
On Thursday night, Dwyer said the neighbor, who knew nothing of her arrest, saw the surveillance video police released to the TV news and recognized the woman.
‘The neighbor, being very, very sharp, had changed the (security) code on the garage so the woman couldn’t get the merchandise,? he said.
Detectives picked up the rest of the merchandise from the neighbor’s garage on Friday morning.
Dwyer said Farmington Hills? retail fraud case wasn’t enough to charge the woman with a felony, but that they’re working with the other cities to build a stronger case.
‘There’s going to be multiple counts coming out and there’s going to be a felony warrant once the prosecutor reviews the evidence that we have gathered,? the chief said.
The woman is expected to be arraigned today.