Police: Shoplifting Partners Point Finger At Each Other
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- An apparent shoplifting duo lost their cooperative spirit when confronted by Eagan police last week.
The Dakota County Attorney's Office says Rhonda Yvette Caldwell, 48, and Michelle Sharice Meldaus, 29, were each charged with a count of theft and receiving stolen property in connection to an incident at a mall on Aug. 9.
The criminal complaint says a mall worker was waiting in her car in a parking ramp before her shift and noticed Caldwell leave a vehicle with a large empty purse in tow, only to see her come back minutes later with the purse "overflowing" with clothing.
The witness says another woman, Meldaus, came out of the mall with a baby stroller soon after, approached Caldwell and began arguing with her about whether or not they should go back into the mall, which they eventually both did.
The complaint says the witness went over and looked into Caldwell's vehicle, seeing clothing from at least two stores coming out of the purse.
The witness says the two suspects saw her while they were coming back out of the mall and began to yell at her. The witness called 911 with the vehicle info, and Caldwell and Meldaus were stopped by police as they drove out of the parking ramp.
Police say the suspects blamed each other for having the stolen goods. The items were stolen from at least three different stores, exceeding $1,000 in value.
Both women are in the Dakota County Jail awaiting their first court appearances.
