Charges: Woman Fills Target Carts, Pushes Them Out Exit Door
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A 33-year-old woman has been charged with theft, after police say she was involved in a series of thefts where she and an accomplice would fill up a Target cart with merchandise and push it out an exit door.
Police say Maranda Leone O'Brien was involved in at least three thefts at metro Targets, including one at the West St. Paul store, between Nov. 15 and Nov. 23, 2010. The total value of the merchandise stolen was more than $1,550 in those thefts, according to a criminal complaint.
The store also noted numerous incidents between Oct. 17, 2010 and Dec. 3, 2010, where the suspect tried to steal more than $8,000 but store employees were able to stop the theft from taking place.
The officer said O'Brien and the accomplice, identified as her cousin in one instance and her brother in another, would load the merchandise into a cart and push it in front of an emergency exit. A short time later, they would push the cart through the exit doors, load the merchandise into a waiting vehicle and leave the scene.
The incidents were recorded on surveillance videos at the Target stores, including seven incidents where the woman tried to load a cart with merchandise but eventually abandoned the cart after confronted by an employee.
Police spoke with O'Brien's cousin who told them O'Brien steals from stores all over the state and that is how she "makes a living."
