(SEYMOUR) – On June 27 at approximately 7 p.m. Seymour Police Officers were dispatched to the CVS Drug Store at 201 East Tipton Street to reference several individuals in the store who were suspected of stealing multiple items.
The subjects were observed leaving the area in a champaign colored SUV. The vehicle was located by Officer Soliday and Officer Schapson near the intersection of Tipton Street and Chestnut Street.
Upon stopping the vehicle, several identifiable factors were noted that lead officers to believe these subjects to be involved in the previously reported theft.
A large amount of merchandise was also observed within the vehicle, much of it loose and not within a retail bag. All three occupants of the vehicle were then detained for an investigation after being identified as Karyn Marida, Michael Mays, and Tiffany Johnson, all of Kentucky.
Officer Schapson then reviewed footage from the Seymour CVS, which showed all three subjects entering the store separately, intentionally setting off the “theft alarm” as a diversion while another subject pushed a full shopping cart and a second carrying an armload of merchandise past the point of sale without making an effort to pay.
Upon questioning the individuals, it became clear that this was a pattern of theft and that multiple stores had been victimized.
Furthermore, the individuals could not state what city they were in, what other stores they had visited, or why they were in the area.
A search warrant was granted for the vehicle. Within the vehicle, officers located a large amount of unopened high-dollar merchandise along with 4.4 grams of methamphetamine, Oxycodone, and various drug paraphernalia. A yard-sale sign was also located within the vehicle.
A search of the merchandise within the vehicle located items from five separate locations in Seymour including 85 items from Dollar General ($251.13 value), 20 items from Walgreens ($1,010.10 value) and a large number of items from CVS (Seymour and Brownstown locations) worth at least $8,500 in retail value. A CVS manager stated that very specific and high-value items were taken from the store during this incident.
At this time, an investigation is ongoing in an attempt to determine the potential for other locations targeted by these individuals.
