A woman was arrested after she was caught trying to steal over $700 in clothing items from JCPenney.
On June 22, around 3:45 pm, Gallup Police Officer Charlie Watkins was dispatched to JCPenney at 1300 W. Maloney Ave., after a woman who was later identified as Christyana Bahe reportedly stole items from the store.
When Watkins arrived at the store, he met with a Tribal Security guard and Bahe, 35. The security guard handed Watkins a receipt for over $636 worth of merchandise and explained that was how much the items Bahe’s had tried to steal were worth.
According to Watkins’ report, Bahe was standing next to the security guard during this interaction, and she kept trying to get up and walk out of the store. She was also “being loud,” according to the report.
Watkins escorted Bahe to the backseat of his patrol car. According to Watkins’ report, Bahe was slurring her words when she spoke to him and he could smell alcohol on her. She kept saying “please don’t throw me in.”
GPD Officer Francescia Henry searched Bahe, and during the search a bra fell out from underneath Bahe’s shirt.
With the found bra, the total amount of items Bahe stole came out to over $700.
When Watkins spoke to the store manager, he said that Bahe had come into the store and began stuffing items down her shirt. She had also allegedly walked into a changing room, and when she came out she was wearing clothes that still had the tags on them.
Bahe allegedly tried to walk out of the store’s back door, but it was locked, so she turned around and tried to walk out a different door, but security stopped her.
Bahe was arrested and charged with shoplifting. Her preliminary examination is scheduled for July 12.
Staff Reports
