Mount Pleasant police say two women are facing felony theft charges after they tried to return baby formula to Walmart, caused a scene and stole other items.
Latrice Friend and Chanta Walker were charged Friday in Racine County Circuit Court. Friend is facing one felony count of retail theft and one misdemeanor count of obstruction. If convicted, she faces up to 4-1/3 years in prison and/or up to $20,000 in fines. Walker was charged with one felony charge of retail theft and faces up to 3-1/2 years in prison and/or up to $10,000 in fines.
According to the criminal complaint, officers were called Thursday to Walmart, 3049 Oakes Road, for a report of retail theft. When police arrived, store security told them that two women – later identified as Friend and Walker – attempted to return baby formula and were refused, so they caused a scene. They were seen leaving the service counter and traveled around the store putting items in their shopping bags.
Police say Friend and Walker went through a line and paid for some of the items but walked past the last point of purchase without paying for everything. A store employee stopped them and asked to see a receipt for the items in the cart and cussed out by Friend and the woman with her.
The pair left the store and got into a silver Dodge Durango, the complaint reads, and were stopped by a Mount Pleasant police officer who then investigated the situation and took Friend and Walker into custody. Walker tried to deny her participation by saying because she wasn’t pushing the cart she didn’t do any shoplifting.
Friend and Walker were both in the Racine County Jail as of Friday evening; Friend on a $1,000 signature bond, and Walker on a $100 cash bond. They will both be back in court Nov. 9 for preliminary hearings.