Inset: Lisa Debenedictis (Flagler County Sheriff’s Office). Background: The Florida Target where cops said Lisa Debenedictis used her 9-year-old daughter to shoplift (Google Maps).
A Florida woman accused of forcing her 9-year-old daughter to steal Lysol, earrings and candy from Target while the mom snuck other random items through self-checkout has agreed to a plea deal that avoids prison time.
Lisa Debenedictis, 48, was sentenced to two years of probation last week after pleading no contest to felony petit theft, according to court records. She received 30 days in jail for a separate driving-while-license-suspended charge, for which she also pleaded no contest.
A misdemeanor charge of contributing to the delinquency of a child was dropped as part of Debenedictis’ plea deal, according to court records. She was ordered to serve her 30-day sentence at the Flagler County Detention Facility.
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An arrest affidavit viewed by Law&Crime said police responded to a Target in Flagler County after asset protection staff reported a woman and a child “were concealing merchandise and had just exited the store.”
Cops made contact with Debenedictis and her daughter outside the store and reviewed surveillance footage showing both of them stealing items while inside Target, the affidavit said. The child was seen stealing $25.97 worth of merchandise using a pink backpack, while Debenedictis sneaked $47.27 worth of merchandise through self-checkout, according to police.
“While Lisa was inside the bathroom, [the child] obtained merchandise and placed it into a pink backpack,” the affidavit said. “Lisa returned … and grabbed a package of Lysol wipes from the shopping cart and placed the item into [the child’s] backpack with her knowledge.”
Debenedictis and her daughter continued to walk around Target, selecting various items of “merchandise and produce” until proceeding to a self-checkout line, the affidavit said. “Lisa purposely did not scan numerous items and placed them into a grocery bag,” the document stated.
“Additionally, Lisa purposely failed to scan merchandise that was left inside the grocery cart and did not attempt to scan the items,” according to police.
The items stolen by the child included “14K Gold Plated Earrings” valued at $19.99, “Gumi Yum” candy valued at $2.99, and “Lysol Spray” valued at $2.99, according to the affidavit. Debenedictis stole organic sugar, Coca-Cola, bagels, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, feminine wipes, an EcoTools blending brush, “Bodi Sands Self Tanning Drops,” acrylic paint, “colorful stickers” and “card packs.”
“It was determined that Lisa encouraged and assisted [her daughter] to conceal unpaid merchandise with the intent on depriving Target,” the affidavit said. “Furthermore, Lisa participated in the theft by purposely not scanning numerous items and accompanying [her daughter] of Target without rendering payment, passing all points of sale. [Her daughter’s] actions constituted a shoplifting — petit theft, which Lisa caused and contributed to [her daughter’s] delinquency.”
The post Mom accused of taking little girl to Target and using her to steal Lysol, earrings and candy inside pink backpack while she swiped self-tanner learns her fate first appeared on Law & Crime.
