2 women arrested for shoplifting $1,200 in merchandise from 3 Fayetteville stores

Two alleged shoplifters at Fayette Pavilion were apprehended earlier this week with quite a haul and interest from other law enforcement agencies, according to police reports.

An officer from the Fayetteville Police Department was dispatched Jan. 24 shortly after 2 p.m. in response to a reported shoplifting incident at Burlington Coat Factory. The suspects were reported by store personnel as two black females, one wearing blue jeans and the other wearing a black jacket.

While en route, the officer was advised that the suspects were fleeing the scene in a blue SUV with no license plate fixed on the back of the vehicle. He found them heading toward Walmart and pulled them over for a traffic stop.

Two women matching the description given by Burlington employees got out of the vehicle. They denied being in the store, but an assistant manager came out of the store and made a positive identification.

Another officer was called to the scene to review surveillance footage, and while waiting for word about the video the first officer identified the driver of the vehicle as Otisha Williams and the passenger as Samantha Lee. Both were found to have outstanding warrants and suspended driver’s licenses for failure to appear — Williams out of South Fulton and Lee out of East Point.

According to the police report, surveillance footage showed the two suspects entering the store and gathering various clothing items and hygiene products, with each woman filling a large bag. They were then seen on video exiting the store without paying and fleeing in a Subaru Outback.

All of the merchandise was recovered, having an estimated value of $792. Items from Marshall’s and TJ Maxx were found among what was recovered. Because the total amount is above $500 the theft is likely to produce felony charges.

Both women were transported to Fayette County Jail pending the warrants. They will be turned over to those respective departments but not until after answering the charges in Fayetteville.