Woman fined for stealing accompanied by girls, Menards theft scheme

May 12—EAU CLAIRE — An Augusta woman who authorities say stole in front of two teens and engaged in a theft-and-return scheme at two Eau Claire Menards stores has paid restitution and was fined $453.

Jennifer Brown, 33, pleaded no contest this week in Eau Claire County Court to a misdemeanor count of retail theft.

The remaining charges in both cases, felony counts of retail theft, bail jumping and theft by false representation, and misdemeanor counts of contributing to the delinquency of a child and attempted theft by false representation, were dismissed but considered by Judge John Manydeeds at sentencing.

Brown's co-defendant in the Menards case, Nathan W. Brown, 49, also of Augusta, returns to court Monday.

According to the criminal complaint in the teen theft case:

Woodman's Food Market in Altoona reported the theft of $639 worth of merchandise on Sept. 30.

Store officials said three females entered, loaded two carts with merchandise, left the store without paying for the merchandise, and loaded the merchandise into a white pickup truck.

During the course of the investigation, Altoona police identified the females as Brown and two girls ages 13 and 14. Brown admitted to police that she took the merchandise and said times were hard. Brown denied telling the girls that she intended to steal from Woodman's. She claimed she simply said "follow me."

According to the criminal complaint in the Menards case:

Based on surveillance video footage, the Browns entered the Menards West store on Clairemont Avenue on Jan. 27. Jennifer Brown selected several items, including smoke detectors and high-dollar smart deadbolts/door locks. She placed the items in her purse.

The Browns bought a few small items but did not pay for the high-dollar items in Jennifer Brown's purse, which were valued at $731.

The Browns then went to the Menards East store on Hastings Way. They entered and completed a no-receipt return for the items taken from the Menards West store 30 minutes earlier.

Nathan Brown was given store credit in the amount of $731. He then used the store credit to buy a special-order door and gave the name Jennifer Brown for the pick-up ticket.

The Browns attempted to do the same thing on Jan. 28, this time starting at the Menards East store and returning the items at the Menards West store. The value of the stolen items this time was $897.

A loss prevention employee was suspicious on this second attempt in two days and denied the return, telling the Browns to come back to the store the next day.

On Jan. 29, the Browns returned to the Menards West store and were told to contact Eau Claire police about their return. Jennifer Brown called Eau Claire police and told them she needed to contact law enforcement to receive her store credit. She said she got the smart door lock she was trying to return from the Menards store in Rice Lake.

The Browns both denied taking any items. Police checked with the Rice Lake Menards store, which found no evidence of a smart lock purchase by Jennifer Brown.