DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) – A woman accused of repeatedly stealing from a Decatur Walmart also stole from Kohl's, police said.Â
Latasha Birden, 30, was arrested late Tuesday night, officers said, after a Walmart asset protection worker caught her leaving the Maryland Street store without paying for a flat-screen TV and groceries (valued at $344.54). She is accused of repeatedly trying to steal from that same store over the summer of 2019.Â
A Thursday sworn statement said a loss prevention officer at the Hickory Point Mall Kohl's recognized Birden's picture from WAND-TV's coverage and contacted law enforcement. Police said Birden took $792 in merchandise from the store on June 27.Â
According to officers, she admitted to stealing from the Kohl's in a conversation with police at the Macon County Jail.Â
The alleged past Walmart thefts were on May 24, June 12 and earlier in the day Tuesday, according to sworn statements.
Police said the suspect came into the store with a man on May 24. Both of them are accused of taking groceries to a self-checkout lane and only scanning some items before leaving without paying for any of them. Statements said Birden was alone for the other three theft attempts.
In total, Birden is accused of attempting to steal over $2,000 worth of merchandise. She now faces five retail theft charges after accusations of stealing from Kohl's surfaced.
Her total bail is set at $16,700 in Macon County. She has a past conviction for larceny on her record.
