Aspiring Detective Arrested for Stealing 6 Times from Target

Around 6:25 PM on September 6, 2024, Officers Sarah Derasmo and Trevor Brey with the Middletown Township Police Department initially responded dispatched to a report of a 19-year-old female shoplifter at the Target on 2105 Route 35. They made contact with the loss prevention employee, who informed the officers that the woman had allegedly shoplifted from them on 5 prior occasions before attempting to steal $75.07 worth of items that particular day. They walked over to the loss prevention office and made contact with the alleged shoplifter, who was identified as 19-year-old Juliana.

The loss prevention employees showed them surveillance footage where Juliana allegedly failed to scan some of the items in self-checkout before attempting to exit the store with unpaid items. Juliana indicated that she was willing to pay for the items and seemed confused about why they were alleging that she had done this on 6 different occasions. Based on their surveillance footage, Officer Brey placed Juliana under arrest for shoplifting.

After she was placed under arrest, Officer Derasmo searched her and subsequently transported her to the Middletown Township Police Department for further processing. At police HQ, Juliana was finger printed and photographed. She was charged with shoplifting under 2C:20-11B(1) and released pending her court appearance.

The complaint alleges that Juliana shoplifted $43.06 worth on July 6, 2024, $44.97 on July 19, 2024, $132.52 on July 22, 2024, $47.95 worth on July 28, 2024, $109.65 on August 8, 2024, and $75.07 on September 6, 2024. The total value of items that Juliana allegedly stole from the Middletown Target is $453.24. Court records indicate that on October 3, 2024, Juliana pleaded guilty and she was granted a conditional dismissal after 12 months. As a result of her guilty plea, Juliana had to pay a total of $983 in fines and $453.24 in restitution to Target.

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