Crime & Safety
Mom, Daughter Teamed Up to Shoplift, Police Say
Pair from Easton charged with retail theft at Lower Nazareth department store.
A mother and daughter from Easton are charged with stealing $175.88 in miscellaneous clothing Friday afternoon from Kohl’s department store in Lower Nazareth Township.
Police found the clothing in the purse of the mother, Susan Elizabeth Austin, 45, court records say.
Also charged in the case is Austin’s daughter, Samantha E. Kerlin, 21. The address of both women is listed at 118 S. 14th St., Apt. 1.
A criminal complaint filed by Colonial Regional Patrolman Brian P. Bird says he responded to Kohl’s in the Northampton Crossings shopping center around 2:20pm Friday for a theft in progress call.
Another Colonial Regional officer told Bird that loss-prevention officials from Kohl’s stopped two women in the parking lot. One of the officials said the women were seen inside the store selecting items and concealing them.
Police searched both women and their purses and found the items in Austin’s purse, the complaint says.
Austin and Kerlin were charged with retail theft and conspiracy to commit retail theft. They were arraigned Friday night by on-duty District Judge Todd Strohe of Bangor and released on $5,000 unsecured bail each.