By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
MELVINDALE — Three shoplifters entered Tomboy Liquor Store, 18800 Dix Road, the night of Sept. 17, and split up, moving to different parts of the store to distract the clerk while gathering the items they intended to steal.
A store employee said two black women and a black man entered the store together. He said the most notable of the three was a light-skinned black woman with bright red hair, wearing a denim jacket, white shirt and a yellow skirt, with a tan purse, and wearing sandals. She was seen grabbing candy from a low counter, to hide her face from the security camera as she made her way to the front door to leave.
A clerk was able to run out after her to get the license plate of the getaway car, a Ford Fusion, which left with the three people who entered the store together.
Later review of surveillance footage provided images of the three stealing about $100 worth of T-shirts from a display rack.
The other woman was observed on surveillance footage to be wearing a red and yellow shirt over a black shirt, and wearing a black skirt or shorts and striped sandals. She also had short dark hair with blonde highlights on top.
The man was wearing a black T-shirt, light-colored shorts, a black face mask, a black ball cap and glasses, with a watch or bracelet on his left wrist.