Deputies Were Waiting for 4 Charged in Shoplifting Spree

Bradenton, FL — Four people pulled up to Bradenton’s Burlington Coat Factory Wednesday evening in a black Lexus. They left in sheriff’s office cruisers.

According to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the four people: Brianna Jernigan, 25, Miquez Johnson, 21, Ira Middleton, 25, and Porsha Thomas, 29, were all caught in the act of stealing items from the 1205 Cortez Road W. store around 5 p.m.

The four are accused of pulling up to the store, leaving their car running and the doors unlocked. They then entered the shop “and began to conceal merchandise in luggage, backpacks and clothes hampers,” an email from the agency said. “At one point, Johnson was seen passing a tool to Middleton.” That tool, deputies said enabled the removal of the anti-shoplifting device on clothing.

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With $2,037.28 in merchandise in hand, the four headed toward the door, deputies said. Thomas was the first to walk outside and noticed deputies waiting. She went back inside and told the other three about the deputies, the email said.

Deputies didn’t wait for the four to come back outside. Instead, they went in and brought all four into custody. Johnson, the email noted, initially tried to walk away, but “was escorted to the ground and secured.”

The store’s loss prevention officers told deputies the same four had stolen from the store in the past. All four now face eight counts of grand theft and three counts of use of an anti-theft shoplifting device.

No further information is available at this time. Deputies did not that no one was injured.

Image via Shutterstock