Shoplifting suspect returns, asks for phone dropped during theft

Two women who picked out what they wanted from a nail salon in Murrieta, California and then allegedly walked out the front door without paying were arrested shortly after one of them returned and asked employees to return a cell phone that was dropped during the theft.

The incident occurred last week, the Murrieta Police Department stated Monday in a post on its Facebook page.

Police did not identify the store but said the suspect returned just minutes after the theft to retrieve their cellphone, which contained the suspect’s driver’s license and a credit card inside its case.

Employees did not give back the phone after the suspect refused to return the stolen items, the post stated.

The unidentified suspect then allegedly assaulted an employee before leaving a second time.

“Now the theft (which was for less than the cost of the phone) turned into a robbery charge,” the Police Department stated.

The suspects, who left in a black vehicle, were still sitting in their car when officers arrived at their home just one mile away.

“The stolen merchandise was in plain sight inside the vehicle,” the police department stated. An image of the stolen items was also uploaded in the post.

Both were arrested and transported on numerous charges, according to police.

“For sure woulda been easier to just buy the products with the credit card that was in the phone case,” the police department stated.

The injuries due to the assault were minimal, police said.

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