Woman Shoplifts Diapers, Escapes Arrest Topless, Police Say
Aishana Clayton recently got caught trying to shoplift diapers from a Pennsylvania Pathmark store. Security guards noticed her trying to hide $23 worth of diapers in her purse and leave without paying.
Guards detained Clayton and led her to a security office to wait for police to arrive. But she didn't go quietly.
Once in the office, Clayton fought to escape. In her efforts she punched, kicked, bit, and scratched the 47-year-old female security woman who was guarding Clayton.
The guard got hold of Clayton's shirt to attempt to hold her, but Clayton found a way to wiggle out of that.
She took her shirt off and escaped without it.
Clayton ran topless through the store and got into her car, which was illegally parked in the fire lane, according to Daily Times.
She is being charged with a long list of offenses, including robbery, retail theft, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and harassment.
The store has no liability for holding Clayton against her will.
Security guards and store owners or employees have a right to detain suspected shoplifters and hold them for a reasonable amount of time until police arrive.
Surveillance cameras caught Clayton putting the diapers into her purse which gave the guards enough reason to detain her. They didn't manage to hold her for very long so there's a good chance that the detention wasn't for an "unreasonable time."
Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood observed Clayton's topless display as she ran to her car so it appears that guards quickly called police to the scene.
This isn't Aishana Clayton's first shoplifting incident, according to Chitwood. She is currently on parole and had four prior convictions for retail theft. But this may be her first incident of topless theft.
Related Resources:
- Cops: Woman busts out of Pathmark topless (The Philadelphia Inquirer)
- What Qualifies as Shoplifting? (FindLaw's Blotter)
- 3 Ways to Challenge a Shoplifting Charge (FindLaw's Blotter)