2 PREGNANT Women Arrested for Stealing From Multiple Stores

Around 5:06 PM on March 27, 2024, Officer Douglas Kemp with the Frederick Police Department was dispatched to Relish Decor at 38 E Patrick Street on a report of 2 female shoplifters. They were described as possibly being of Indian or Hispanic descent, and at least one of the 2 women seemed visibly pregnant. Dispatch also noted that a second caller had reported that 2 women who looked Arab were observed getting into a white van. This information matched the description of 2 shoplifters from another call that Officer Kemp had handled about an hour earlier. He reviewed the surveillance footage and obtained still shots of the 2 female suspects on his phone.

The suspects were later confronted by another store owner and they left in a white Toyota Sienna bearing California tags. Officer Kemp started to patrol the area on foot given the possibility that the suspects may have entered another store. He was soon able to locate a white Toyota Sienna with California tags that matched earlier description. The vehicle was headed northbound on N Market Street and it was approaching the intersection with W Church Street. Officer Kemp immediately instructed the vehicle to stop and instructed the 2 female occupants of the vehicle to exit. The driver of the vehicle was identified as 32-year-old Mirela Sardaru, and her passenger was identified by her Italian passport as 21-year-old Melinsa Stefan.

The officers located a large number of dresses on hangers inside the vehicle, and they would later find $1,400 of cash in $50 bills. One of the dresses happened to be the $298 dress that was reported stolen from Treaty General at 30 E Patrick Street. Both females were advised of their Miranda rights, and Mirela claimed to be in pain so first responders arrived on scene to evaluate her. After Mirela declined transport to the hospital, Officer Kemp showed both women still shots from the camera proving that they had shoplifted from a store earlier that day. The caller from 38 E Patrick arrived on scene and positively identified both suspects, but none of the clothing in the van was from the store where she worked.

Both Mirela and Melinsa were then placed under arrest. Officer Kemp transported Mirela to the Frederick County Adult Detention Center (FCADC) for further processing, while Officer Lyons transported Melinsa to the same facility. Officer Gregware remained on scene as he was trying to determine where the other items of clothing were stolen from. The owner of Treaty General later confirmed that the $298 dress was hers, as well as a pair of blue denim jeans valued at $99 ($397 total loss). The owner of Treaty General was able to identify 2 other stolen items from Augusta Rose (a neighboring store), and it was determined that they had stolen a skirt valued at $15 as well as a black dress valued at $30.

The officers also determined that the other dresses collectively worth thousands of dollars belonged to Deja Vu in Mount Airy, Maryland. The owner of Deja Vu later met with Officer Gregware to retrieve the store’s property. It was believed that the other stolen items were from White House Black Market and Francesca’s. On March 28, 2024, Officer Gregware returned $613 worth of stolen items to White House Black Market as well as $60 worth of stolen items to Francesca’s. Some other purses and articles of clothing could not be tied to any particular store, so they were stored at FPD HQ for safekeeping.

Melinsa and Mirela were charged with the following pursuant to the Maryland Annotated Code:

1. CR 7-104 Theft: $100 to Under $1,500 (Treaty General)

2. CR 7-104(3) Theft: Less Than $100 (Augusta Rose)

3. CR-7-104 Conspiracy Theft: $100 to Under $1,500 (Treaty General)

4. CR-7-104(3) Conspiracy Theft: Less Than $100(Augusta Rose)

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