A shoplifting ring that has reportedly been operating in North Georgia for at least a month came to an abrupt end on Saturday, March 29, when three women were apprehended immediately after allegedly shoplifting from the Clarkesville Package Store.
The women engaged in the shoplifting ring are now facing various counts from multiple jurisdictions, with additional charges expected.
Habersham County deputies apprehended Jade Kinsley Stewart, Amiah Unique Lovette, and Ja’Naysia Nichelle Joyce Anderson after issuing a BOLO (Be On the Look Out) for their car following the Clarkesville shoplifting incident.
The three ladies, all in their late teens, are facing a litany of accusations in many jurisdictions, including three cities in Northeast Georgia and Habersham County. The three defendants face 19 arrest warrants, including allegations of shoplifting, narcotics possession, and severe violence. Additional levies are expected from other Georgia towns and counties, as well as from Florida.
Toccoa/Baldwin
This Article Includes
According to Toccoa Police Chief Bruce Carlisle, the network has been targeting liquor outlets in Georgia, from Augusta on up, and possibly in neighboring states such as Alabama and Florida. Their primary concentration appears to be high-end booze.
The investigation into the group’s illicit actions began on March 1, when Toccoa Police Department Investigator David Cannon and Baldwin Police Department Investigator Peter Bartholomew began investigating stealing allegations at liquor outlets in their respective cities.
According to accounts, the women struck numerous times, the first of which occurred at the 365 Beverage Superstore in Baldwin at about 12:40 p.m. on Saturday, March 1. The women allegedly stole around $200 worth of liquor. About an hour later, Big A Tobacco in Toccoa suspected them of stealing approximately $1,917 in liquor.
In all cases, somebody was spotted escorting the women, although he has yet to be identified by investigators.
South Georgia
The inquiry quickly expanded after Cannon received a tip from a liquor store in Pooler, GA, where the same suspects appeared to have stolen items. The Liquor Land in Pooler released surveillance footage on social media, which showed at least two ladies wearing face masks and medical scrubs, as well as somebody wearing medical scrubs and a face mask, both of whom were accused of theft.
Cannon later obtained confirmation from the Pooler Police Department that the defendants in two theft cases in Pooler were also responsible for the Toccoa shoplifting instances.
Florida cases
Additional calls from Florida offered further information about the suspects’ movements. One call came from an employee claiming that the same woman had shoplifted at a store in Ponce De Leon, and another came from an investigator in Jackson County, Florida.
Both Florida locations are just south of Dothan, AL, suggesting that the suspects may have been operating in southern Alabama as well.
Cannon stated that the suspects would use Google Maps to find small communities with liquor outlets to target. They would then drive from Florida with the intention of stealing from the stores before returning home to sell the stolen things. Cannon also learned that Anderson and Lovette would recruit random individuals to participate in their shoplifting activities.
In addition to various charges in Georgia, Habersham County accused one of the suspects, Jade Kinsley Stewart, with fleeing justice. This charge originates from a vehicle theft in Manatee County, Florida, which complicates the women’s illegal activity.
As the investigation continues, law enforcement officers from many states are seeking to locate additional stolen property and identify any other individuals involved in the ring. The jailed women are now facing significant accusations in various jurisdictions, and investigators are still piecing together their crime spree across the Southeast United States.
