Chawnniece Rickelle Mitchell, age 25, and Gary Denali Goodridge, age 26, both of Washington, D.C.
Charles County Sheriff’s detectives assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division arrested two suspects immediately after they grabbed numerous fragrances from a department store and attempted to flee without paying.
On January 10 at 10:30 a.m., during a surveillance operation, Detective Hooper – who had previously coordinated with the store’s loss prevention staff – observed two people enter a store and grab a large amount of fragrances, which they put into bags and fled the store without paying for the items.
Detective Hooper and loss prevention personnel apprehended the suspects. Patrol officers scanned the parking lot and observed an unoccupied silver Mercedes nearby with the engine running.
Further investigation revealed the vehicle had been reported stolen from another jurisdiction.
The key fob to the vehicle was located on one of the theft suspects.
All of the stolen merchandise, with a commercial value of more than $11,000, was recovered.
Detectives have connected the suspects to an organized retail theft ring operating throughout the region.
“These retail thefts are causing businesses to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars nationwide. Our detectives noted a pattern and coordinated a well-thought-out plan to apprehend the suspects. Their hard work paid off in recovering the store’s merchandise and arresting those responsible for the theft,” said Sheriff Troy D. Berry.
The suspects, Chawnniece Rickelle Mitchell, age 25, and Gary Denali Goodridge, age 26, both of Washington, D.C., were charged with two counts of theft.
On January 10, a judge released Mitchell from the Charles County Detention Center on a $10,000 bond.
On January 11, a judge ordered Goodridge to be held without bond. Detective Hooper is continuing the investigation.
Chawnniece Rickelle Mitchell, age 25, and Gary Denali Goodridge, age 26, both of Washington, D.C.
Stolen fragrances
