Retail theft leads to arrest

A 21 year old St. Augustine resident is in jail this morning pending $200.00 bail for the theft of two bags, two tank tops and a pair of jean shorts from Bealls Department Store located in Cobblestone Village Shopping Center.

Sarah Joelle Badger was taken into custody last night just before 8:00 p.m. after it was reported to Deputy Robert Taylor that she was observed taking and concealing the merchandise by the store’s loss prevention officer. The value of the merchandise was set by the store at approximately $65.00.

The loss prevention officer says that he followed Badger when she left the store without paying for the items and when he stopped her outside of the store; she still had the merchandise on her. Badger was held at the security office of the store until deputies arrived to transport her to jail.