Sunday, December 10, 2006

Caught with her pants down

LAPEL, Ind. - A teenager arrested for shoplifting had filled her pockets with so many items that her pants dropped to her ankles as she tried to run out of the store, police said.

Cheyanne E. Dwiggins, 18, is accused of trying to steal candy, kitchen utensils and a box of strawberry Nestle's Nesquik, among other items, from Bauer's Market in Lapel, about 25 miles northeast of Indianapolis. Dwiggins, who was arraigned Thursday on one count of theft, was being held Friday on $5,000 bond.

Store employees became suspicious on Wednesday when Dwiggins, who had been in the store about 30 minutes, walked to the cash register to pay for a 59-cent candy necklace, but only had 40 cents.

Store owner Scott Law had watched Dwiggins and knew she had pocketed several items, so he confronted her as she tried to leave, according to court papers. Dwiggins tried to run from the store, but Law grabbed her coat from behind and held onto her until police arrived.

When Police Chief Dennis Molina pulled up, he saw Dwiggins' bare behind as she tried to escape from Law and back out of the door, her weighted-down pants at her ankles, court records show.

Police also found a potato peeler, ice cream scoop, a set of measuring spoons, two cake decorating gel tubes and six Rollo candy bars on Dwiggins, according to court documents.

Law, who's dealt with numerous other shoplifters in the four years he's owned the store, called the arrest "very irritating." "Yesterday's incident was just the icing on the cake," he said.

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