Investigation by Holmdel PD Leads to Charge Against Suspected Shoplifter

A woman entered Old Navy in Holmdel, allegedly filled a bag with stolen clothing, and left. Witnesses quickly reported what they believed they saw to a manager, who called Holmdel Police. The quick work by officers resulted in an arrest of the suspect, and the discovery that she had $1500 worth of clothing with tags from several stores, and no receipts.

On Thursday evening, May 31, Nikeya Tyshell Anderson, 25, of Asbury Park and a brother-and-sister pair from Lakewood were seen leaving Old Navy in dark Jaguar with what several employees believed were clothes stuffed in a pocketbooks. As employees took note of the license plate, witnesses say the female passenger in the car shouted obscenities and made obscene hand gestures in full view of shoppers on the sidewalk.

When Holmdel Ptl. Christopher Cherney arrived on the scene, he reviewed store video surveillance tapes that showed the trio entering the store around 5:42 p.m. The two women had large pocketbook type bags under their arms, which appeared empty. About 15 minutes later, they were seen walking to the front doors with bags that were full and larger in size, though nobody had actually seen the suspects put anything in the bags.

Because a scan by Holmdel PD showed there were traffic warrants issued for the driver of the car, Asbury Park Police were able to stop the vehicle in their town. They placed one of the females under arrest.

Around 8 p.m., Ptl. Cherney and Ptl. Martinez arrived in Asbury Park. The suspect's vehicle was under video surveillance by a camera mounted at the intersection of Bangs and Ridge Avenues. When police officers walked away from the vehicle, police say the camera recorded a female grabbing a white plastic bag from the back seat, tearing it open, and ripping tags off the clothing. She put the tags in a map pocket behind the passenger front seat, police say.

Meanwhile, police say a crowd of about 30 to 40 people began to gather at the investigation site yelling obscenities in the direction of the police. Ptl. Cherney said he looked in the car and discovered several bags of clothing strewn about the back seat of the vehicle in plain view. Several of the items had Old Navy tags, and on closer inspection, there was also clothing with tags from Children's Place, Aeropostale and Baby Gap, he noted in his report, adding there were no receipts for the transactions.

The operator of the car, Nikeya Anderson, said she had indeed been in Old Navy that day but denied taking anything. She said the clothes police saw in her car were from her residence, which had been recently burglarized and she was taking the clothes to a motel where whe was staying.

Asbury Park Police turned Anderson over to Holmdel Police on a Toms River warrant for $750, Freehold Boro warrant for $164, and Deal warrant for $89.

She was taken to Holmdel Police Dept., where she was processed for warrants and charged with shoplifting. She was released upon making bail

At police headquarters, the clothing was separated and accounted for: $700.25 worth of clothing from Children's Place; $475.78 worth of clothing from Baby Gap; $235 worth of sandals and $158 worth of clothing from Aeropostale ($393 total). Area police departments were informed of the property in police possession.