Upper Dublin Police Department. Photo by James Short.
The two told police they were shopping for lice shampoo when they were being followed, according to police.
A trip to a pharmacy for lice shampoo turned into theft charges for one pair of women identified by retail store after being picked up by local police.
Upper Dublin Township Police Department was dispatched the CVS pharmacy located at 1678 Susquehanna Road in Dresher on Tuesday, Dec. 3 around 4:35 p.m. for the report of a theft in progress. According to the police criminal complaint, an employee at the CVS relayed that two females had been in the store, stolen goods, and “ran from the store.”
Police said that, after officers responded, they were able to share a description of the two women, one of which had a “red tattoo on her face.” The females reportedly got into a red-colored Chevrolet with temporary tags, which then entered Susquehanna Road heading toward the turnpike, said police. A check of the reported tags on the vehicle resulted in the make and model of an “older style” Chevy Trailblazer was provided to those on patrol.
One unit traveling southbound on Dreshertown Road at the time saw the same vehicle traveling north. Activating the vehicle’s lights, the officer turned around and saw the Trailblazer turn right onto Beacon Hill Drive, said the complaint. Police said they were able to see the temporary registration tags, covered by a tinted license plate cover, and proceeded to conduct a traffic stop.
According to the criminal complaint, the police were able to pull the Trailblazer over around the 200 block of Westwind Way, detaining the driver and passenger of the car. The driver was identified as Melina Criss, 31, of the 2500 block of North 33rd Street in Philadelphia, and the passenger was Dontaya Fowler, 42, of the 400 block of Gray Mount Circle, in Elkton, Md., police said. Criss had a red tattoo on the right side of her face, consistent with the description offered by the CVS employee, police said.
The two women both admitted to having been in the CVS, police said, with Criss stating that “they were in the store looking for lice shampoo and were being followed by an employee.” According to the criminal complaint, Criss said “they felt uncomfortable due to being followed and left the store.”
Upper Dublin police made contact again with the CVS to learn the two had taken multiple items and passed all points of sale without paying, said the police report. The CVS employee was brought to the scene to positively identify the two women, which she did. The CVS employee provided an itemized list of items that were stolen, which totaled a value of $833.02, according to police.
Police said that, in plain view in the vehicle, they witnessed “items consistent with drug store inventory.” The vehicle was seized and held pending a search warrant, said reports.
Fowler is facing misdemeanor charges of retail theft by taking of merchandise, conspiracy for retail theft, theft by unlawful taking, conspiracy to commit theft by unlawful taking receiving stolen property, and conspiracy to receive stolen property.
Fowler was released on a bond signature. She is due in court on Dec. 13 to face Magisterial District Judge Douglas H. Lavenberg at 11:30 a.m. for her charges.
Criss, who police said had four prior convictions for retail thefts, is charged with two felony counts of retail theft by taking of merchandise, and two felony counts of receiving stolen property, as well as two misdemeanor charges of theft by unlawful taking.
Criss was released on a bond signature and is also due in court on Dec. 13 to face Magisterial District Judge Douglas H. Lavenberg at 11:30 a.m. for her charges.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
