catlover79
06-08-2010, 11:08 PM
http://www.fox8.com/news/wjw-wheelchair-bound-teen-arrested-txt,0,1860780.story
Kathleen Cochrane Fox 8 Reporter
6:47 PM EDT, June 8, 2010
LORAIN, Ohio -- Lorain Police say Kohl's Department Store was the scene of an illegal shopping spree.
Police say two adult women and a 14-year-old girl, came into the store with a mission to steal as many clothes as possible.
Part of that trio was Amber Rodriguez, 19, who is confined to a wheelchair.
Police say the wheelchair was actually part of her plot.
"They were observed by security on camera stealing some clothing items," Det. Sgt. Mark Carpentiere said. "This woman in a wheelchair had a bathing suit on underneath her clothes."
When the store's security officer stopped the women, he found two of them wearing bikinis underneath their clothes.
The officer also reported a backpack on the back of Rodriguez's wheelchair was filled with stolen clothes.
As the security officer called Lorain Police for backup, he says Rodriguez made several surprising statements.
"She made a comment to the officer that she couldn't go to jail," said Det. Sgt. Carpentiere.
And here's why.
According to the police report, Rodriguez said she "could not go to jail because she is in a wheel chair."
The officer reported she then "boasted about being the female that was shot in the back while breaking into vehicles in Avon several months prior."
That crime occurred in November.
Rodriguez was in a car with several men charged with stealing cars, when she was shot.
She was never charged.
But police say her behavior last week shows she still hasn't learned how to stay out of trouble.
"She continues to be involved in crime and being in a wheelchair certainly poses an inconvenience for her, but it certainly doesn't prevent anyone from being incarcerated," Carpentiere said.
Despite the plea for leniency, Lorain Police charged the girls with theft and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. If found guilty, they could face up to six months in jail.
Kathleen Cochrane Fox 8 Reporter
6:47 PM EDT, June 8, 2010
LORAIN, Ohio -- Lorain Police say Kohl's Department Store was the scene of an illegal shopping spree.
Police say two adult women and a 14-year-old girl, came into the store with a mission to steal as many clothes as possible.
Part of that trio was Amber Rodriguez, 19, who is confined to a wheelchair.
Police say the wheelchair was actually part of her plot.
"They were observed by security on camera stealing some clothing items," Det. Sgt. Mark Carpentiere said. "This woman in a wheelchair had a bathing suit on underneath her clothes."
When the store's security officer stopped the women, he found two of them wearing bikinis underneath their clothes.
The officer also reported a backpack on the back of Rodriguez's wheelchair was filled with stolen clothes.
As the security officer called Lorain Police for backup, he says Rodriguez made several surprising statements.
"She made a comment to the officer that she couldn't go to jail," said Det. Sgt. Carpentiere.
And here's why.
According to the police report, Rodriguez said she "could not go to jail because she is in a wheel chair."
The officer reported she then "boasted about being the female that was shot in the back while breaking into vehicles in Avon several months prior."
That crime occurred in November.
Rodriguez was in a car with several men charged with stealing cars, when she was shot.
She was never charged.
But police say her behavior last week shows she still hasn't learned how to stay out of trouble.
"She continues to be involved in crime and being in a wheelchair certainly poses an inconvenience for her, but it certainly doesn't prevent anyone from being incarcerated," Carpentiere said.
Despite the plea for leniency, Lorain Police charged the girls with theft and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. If found guilty, they could face up to six months in jail.