Four arrested in grab and run theft at Stanford Shopping Center
Pictured left to right: Janera Antonette Fraser, 18, Nicole Schrell Garner, 28, Haley Cheri King, 18. and Destiny Faith Shephard, 19, arrested in a grab and run theft at a department store in Palo Alto. (Palo Alto PD)
PALO ALTO, Calif. (KTVU) - Four women were arrested in a grab and run theft at a department store at the Stanford Shopping Center.
On Sunday, authorities booked 28-year-old Nicole Schrell Garner, 19-year-old Destiny Faith Shephard (both from Antioch), Haley Cheri King, and Janera Antonette Fraser (both 19-year-old from East Palo Alto) into the San Jose Main Jail on charges of organized retail theft, grand theft and possession of stolen property. Fraser faces an additional charge of battery for kicking a witness.
Investigators said a woman witnessed the group stealing armloads of clothing and shoes at a Macy's store located at 180 El Camino Real.
The witness recorded video of the suspects in action and followed them around the store.
Authorities said Fraser became agitated that she was being recorded and she lunged at the witness and kicked her in the butt.
As the group fled the store, they dropped some of the stolen merchandise on their way to the car.
The witness followed the suspects out of the store and into the parking lot where she called police around 3:38 p.m. with their descriptions.
Responding officers located a vehicle with people inside who matched the descriptions. They stopped the car at University Avenue and Donohoe Street in East Palo Alto where they found $5,000 worth of stolen merchandise inside.
Police collected evidence and conducted interviews and determined the suspects had conspired to steal at the shopping center for the purpose of selling the items
Officers are investigating whether the suspects are connected to other similar thefts.