Two Akron, Ohio women are accused of driving to the Pittsburgh Mills and other Pennsylvania malls almost daily to shoplift clothing later sold on Facebook, Frazer police Chief Terry Kuhns said.
Ocean Rain McDay, 22, and Stasha Lashell Heller, 23, are accused of stealing clothing from Victoria’s Secret and JCPenney on Wednesday afternoon and then trying to out run police first on foot and then in brief car chase.
Frazer police said the women and a third, unknown woman were inside Victoria’s Secret in the Pittsburgh Mills mall on Wednesday and stole clothing by placing the items inside shopping bags lined with aluminum in a bid to evade electronic alarms.
The alarms went off anyway and an officer yelled at the women to stop, but they ran out an exit. Police said McDay and Heller were inside a car that was stopped by police.
Inside the car, police allegedly found the bags holding clothing with store security tags still attached.
Wednesday’s haul exceeded $1,000. Police estimate the women took about $5,000 worth of clothing from stores in the mall during the past two months, Kuhns said.
“This is their job,” Kuhns said.
According to the Sandusky, Ohio, newspaper, McDay and another woman were arrested last month in Perkins Township, Ohio, for shoplifting at least $3,000 worth of merchandise.
According to court records, McDay is charged in Frazer with felony retail theft, conspiracy and other charges, among them receiving stolen property, reckless driving and driving under the influence.
Heller is charged with two counts of felony theft.
McDay and Heller were arraigned in Allegheny County Night Court early Thursday. They were released on non-monetary bond pending an April 29 preliminary hearing before District Judge David J. Sosovicka in Cheswick.
