Woman Caught With $15,000 Worth Of Stolen Clothes In Vernon: Cops

VERNON, CT — A woman has been charged with organized retail theft after she was caught in a car with more than $15,000 worth of stolen goods in the back seat behind a Vernon residence, police said.

Ashley Richards 27, was arrested Friday on a warrant, the details of which were relesased Monday.

The case dates back to Nov. 30, when Vernon police responded to a noise complaint at 30 North Park Street, according to a warrant. A gray Lexus was parked behind the residence with extremely loud music blaring from it and it took an officer several knocks on the window to get the occupant, identified as 27-year-old Ashley Richards, to "wake up," according to a warrant.

When questioned by police, Richards gave a false name, was vague on "all" of her answers and could not explain why she was "sleeping" in a car in the rear of a home with music blasting. a warrant states.

Police noticed several bags of clothes in the back of the car and the garments had tags on them, according to a warrant. She said she was holding them for a business owned by a friend for which she worked — a store called "Mr. D's," according to a warrant.

She also tried to get out of the vehicle several times, using excuses like she had to get the mail, go to the bathroom and get bank statements, a warrant indicates.

She had no documentation for the clothing and police later determined the attire — worth a total of about $15,000 — was stolen from various stores throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts, according to a warrant.

Richards was charged with:

• Organized retail theft over $10,000
• Second-degree larceny
• Illegal possession of a shoplifting device
• Interfering with police