Woman Arrested After Concealing Stolen Items in her Friend’s Bag at the Hoboken ShopRite

Around 10:24 PM on June 9, 2025, Officers David Smentkowski, Keven De La Cruz, and Rose Kanan with the Hoboken Police Department responded to a report of a shoplifting at ShopRite on 900 Madison Street. Officers Smentkowski and De La Cruz first arrived and walked upstairs to the loss prevention office. They immediately made contact with 2 women who were being detained in the loss prevention office. They watched surveillance footage near the self-checkout terminal as part of their investigation. The footage revealed that one of the women, Tracey Lyons, concealed unpaid items inside her friend’s bags as she returned to gather more items, and they both attempted to exit the store together.

The store wanted to sign a complaint against both of them, but the officers felt that there was not enough definitive proof regarding the other woman’s guilt. However, it was clear that Tracey was concealing items, including meats and seafood. A receipt printout of all the items that Tracey attempted to steal indicated that the total value of unpaid items was $143.13.

The officers placed Tracey under arrest for shoplifting. Tracey was handcuffed and escorted to the patrol car. An officer transported her to the Hoboken Police Department for further processing. She was charged with shoplifting under 2C:20-11B(1) and released pending her court appearance.

Court records indicate that Tracey had previously been arrested for shoplifting on multiple prior occasions. These include prior arrests in Secaucus, NJ on April 5, 2007 and Jersey City, NJ on June 10, 2008. While this particular case was pending in the Hoboken City Municipal Court, Tracey later died on July 12, 2025. As a result of her death, this case was dismissed on July 16, 2025.

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