A Staten Island resident is accused of stealing over $4,000 worth of beauty products from an Ulta Beauty in Westlake, Ohio, on Dec. 27, according to news reports.
As reported by Fox 8 News, Molique Moses, 18, faces felony charges of theft and fleeing and eluding.
It was just around noon that Westlake Police received a call of a shoplifting in progress. Employees of the store reported to police that a man came into the business, seemed to speak on the phone and eventually pulled out a large bag and a mask, proceeding to stock the bag with merchandise before fleeing, according to Cleveland19.com.
“He didn’t seem to care that people were watching him and employees were noting that he probably was going to leave without paying for things,” Westlake Police Captain Jerry Vogel reportedly told Fox 8 News. “As he was carrying the bag out like Santa Claus carries out a sack of toys, he even swore at the employees, indicating to them that he didn’t think he was going to get caught. He didn’t care what information they had on him. He thought he was going to get away.”
Witnesses reported that the man then entered a silver F-150 with Pennsylvania plates, as reported by Cleveland19.com. Police were able to track the vehicle to North Olmsted, Ohio, using license plate readers.
According to Cleveland19.com, North Olmsted police attempted to stop the truck, which fled onto I-480, before calling off the chase. It was the Ohio State Highway Patrol which identified the truck and pursued it into Trumbull County, Ohio, where the vehicle crashed.
Authorities took two men into custody and the stolen items were recovered, the report said.
“Probably somebody is looking for something in particular and he knows that he can get good money for these things and sell them,” Vogel said, according to Fox 8 News. “He had a shopping list, he had the big black garbage bag to collect the things, and thought he had a safe getaway vehicle, but he didn’t.”
As reported by Fox 8 News, the license plate on the getaway vehicle was allegedly stolen.