Inset: Lisa Debenedictis (Flagler County Sheriff’s Office). Background: The Florida Target where Lisa Debenedictis allegedly used her 9-year-old daughter to shoplift (Google Maps).
A Florida woman allegedly took her 9-year-old daughter to Target and forced her to steal Lysol, earrings and candy inside a pink backpack while the mom snuck Coca-Cola, self-tanner and other random items through self-checkout.
Lisa Debenedictis, 48, is charged with petit theft and contributing to the delinquency of a child in connection with the alleged shoplifting scheme, according to court records.
An arrest affidavit viewed by Law&Crime says 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 allegedly stealing items while inside Target. The child was seen stealing $25.97 worth of merchandise using a pink backpack, while Debenedictis snuck $47.27 worth of merchandise through self-checkout.
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“While Lisa was inside the bathroom, [the child] obtained merchandise and placed it into a pink backpack,” the affidavit says. “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 says. “Lisa purposely did not scan numerous items and placed them into a grocery bag,” the document alleges.
“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 allegedly 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. Debenedictis allegedly 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 concludes. “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.”
Debenedictis is scheduled to be arraigned on Sept. 1.
The post Mom took little girl to Target and forced her to steal Lysol, earrings and candy inside pink backpack while the mother swiped self-tanner, Coca-Cola and other items: Cops first appeared on Law & Crime.
