Fired Employee Arrested After Stealing from Former Employer

Around 1:58 PM on May 1, 2025, Officer Timothy Barkho with the North Haledon Police Department responded to a report of a female shoplifter at The Fresh Grocer on 1068 High Mountain Road. He and Officer Falcon walked over to the loss prevention office and made contact with the alleged shoplifter. The employee informed the officers that multiple witnesses observed a woman stealing 2 potted plants from the outdoor plant rack around 9:00 AM.

The employee told officers that he reviewed the CCTV footage and identified the suspect as Jessica Rojas, who was a former employee. She allegedly committed the theft after entering the store and purchasing bottled water, while not paying for the potted plants. The employee got in touch with Jessica and she agreed to return to the store.

Jessica admitted to stealing the potted plants, and she also claimed that she had been wrongfully fired from her job at the store. The officers were informed that the store wanted to pursue charges against Jessica. Based on their surveillance footage and the store’s decision to press charges, Jessica was placed under arrest for shoplifting.

A search of her bag incident to arrest yielded the presence of prohibited items. Officer Barkho transported her to the North Haledon Police Department for further processing. She was charged with shoplifting (2C:20-11B(1)), Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance (2C:35-10A(1)), and possession (2C:36-2A) and released pending her court appearance.

Jessica has previously been arrested for shoplifting (2C:20-11B(2)) in Haledon, New Jersey on April 6, 2025.

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