According to Sunshine State police, a Florida lady is in jail after using a child to assist her in committing a major and costly shoplifting incident at a Target last weekend.
According to Lee County Sheriff’s Office records, Elizabeth Novac, 23, is charged with one count each of grand theft—larceny exceeding $750 but less than $5,000—and contributing to a juvenile’s delinquency by causing a youngster to conduct a delinquent act.
She was arrested a few days after the claimed crime, which seems to have been peculiar, striking, and memorable.
Cape Coral, a major city close to Florida’s western coast and the main municipality of the larger Fort Myers metro area, has more navigable waterways than any other city in the world. On October 12, police responded to a Target on NE Pine Island Road in Cape Coral.
However, the defendant is accused of committing her crimes while walking.
The Cape Coral Police Department said in a press statement Friday that the store in question reported a theft that was believed to have cost $1,111 the day before.
According to law authorities, Target employees informed responding officers that the alleged thief was a “unknown woman” who entered the store with “a child under the age of 10.”
“Loss prevention provided video footage documenting the female loading a cart up with merchandise, giving the cart to the child, and using the child to walk out of the store with a cart full of merchandise,” as per the press release. “Two big ticket items were a barista machine and a vacuum cleaner.”
Following an investigation, the woman’s photo was forwarded to other law enforcement officials, according to the police.
An officer allegedly identified the lady who was panhandling as the same one wanted in the Target theft investigation after receiving a complaint about her on Thursday.
According to authorities, Novac was later located and taken into custody.
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“The investigation revealed that Novac loaded the cart with merchandise,” according to the press release. “Prior to briefly separating from the child, Novac was seen pointing toward the exit doors and intentionally having the child leave the store with the shopping cart without attempting to pay. She followed the child a few minutes later.”
The child’s relationship to the defendant, if any, was not disclosed by the police. On a combined $15,000 bond, Novac is still being held in the Lee County Jail.
