Boca Raton police say Allen, 23, of Miramar, and Maynard, 25, of Lauderdale Lakes, were arrested on retail theft charges earlier this year. But Monday police found them, and Tristian Junior Douglas, 18, of Lauderhill, in a car with more than $2,000 in stolen clothes and other items after a trip to Town Center at Boca Raton mall.
It happened at about 4:50 p.m. as a Boca Raton Police officer sat in his car at the BP gas station near the mall due to recent burglaries, fraud and drug activity in the area when a gray BMW pulled up to a gas pump, according to a Boca Raton Police arrest report.
Police say they were prompted to stop the car when the driver failed to stop at a stop sign and stop bar before driving onto Glades Road. An officer walked up to the car, at 1800 W. Glades Road, and told them why they were pulled over and noticed a "small mountain of clothing" on the seat behind the driver, according to the report.
Inside a booster bag — a bag lined with foil to stop anti-theft devices from setting off alarms — police said they found True Religion jeans with the anti-theft devices still on them. They also found a Victoria's Secret bag with underwear as well as Dream Angels Body Wash, Kiss Lotion and Kiss Perfume.
Further, the police found brand-name items such as Abercrombie & Fitch, Gap Kids, Baby Gap, Express, American Apparel and BCBG for a total of $2,164.70 worth of merchandise.
According to the report, Maynard told police she came to the mall to return underwear and that it was a coincidence that the children's clothes that police found in the car happened to fit her 2-year-old son.
Police say all three denied doing anything wrong. But after showing them surveillance video of the thefts from several of the stores, they admitted their involvement, according to the report.
A check of Florida Department of Law Enforcement records found at least eight previous arrests for Allen, including charges of robbery, petit theft, grand theft and battery.
Records found at least five previous arrests for Douglas starting at 14, with battery on an education employee and armed robbery, burglary and other charges.
Records show Maynard, already on probation from a grand theft charge, also had aggravated battery, probation violations and petit theft charges along with others in at least five previous arrests.
Allen faces charges of possession of an anti-shoplifting device countermeasure and trespassing. Maynard faces a probation violation and use of an anti-shoplifting device countermeasure, while Douglas faces charges of using an anti-shoplifting device countermeasure.
All also face retail theft charges. They were booked into Palm Beach County Jail on Tuesday and are each held in lieu of $9,000 bail.
Source- Sun Sentinel