Woman Charged with Shoplifting at the Palisades for the 3rd Time in 4 Months

A woman accused of shoplifting at Lord and Taylor in November and January is accused of returning to the store in March and doing the same thing.

At 3:30 p.m. Monday the Clarkstown Police Department were called to the department store at the Palisades Mall.

Ruth Ester Mendez, 29, of Haverstraw, NY was reportedly observed by loss prevention employees taking merchandise valued at $1,550. The merchandise consisted of five Michael Kors handbags.

It's the third time store security has caught her in four months, police said.

In November Mendez had signed a store trespass warning notice after being caught by store security, stating that she would not return to the store and if she did it would be a criminal trespass offense.

This is a common practice by department stores to prevent repeat offenders, police said.

She was caught by store employees in January over three boxes of Chanel perfume valued at $340, and charged with one felony and three misdemeanors.

This time, she faces three felony charges plus trespass, a violation.

She was charged Monday with burglary 3rd (felony), grand larceny 4th (felony) and criminal possession of stolen property 4th (felony) and trespass (violation). She was arraigned in Clarkstown Justice Court. Bail was set at $15,000.

Mendez was transported to Rockland County Jail and she will return to court on March 20.

SEE: Accused Repeat Shoplifter Arrested at Lord & Taylor