The defendant allegedly stole $106 worth of groceries by concealing them in a backpack.
A Richland Township woman with 11 prior shoplifting convictions waived all charges against her to county court at a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Ed Levine Wednesday, in connection to a shoplifting incident at Wawa in Hatfield.
Hatfield Police charged Elizabeth Irene Aquino, 47, of the 200 block of Yankee Road, with felony counts of retail theft and receiving stolen property, as well as misdemeanor intentional possession of a controlled substance, for allegedly shoplifting more than $100 in groceries by concealing items in a backpack, which also contained 12 hypodermic needles, according to court documents.
On Oct. 21, at 10:23 a.m., police were dispatched to Wawa, 2480 Bethlehem Pike, for a report of a suspicious female, identified as Aquino, who was concealing items in a black backpack, per the affidavit.
Upon arrival, police located Aquino inside Wawa, wearing a partially-open backpack that had numerous food items inside it, police said.
Aquino, authorities allege, was seen walking to the beverage cooler, selecting a drink, and then bending down with the backpack in front of her, in an attempt to conceal what she was doing, placed the drink in the backpack, and stood back up.
When she noticed police in Wawa, Aquino began walking backwards down the aisles with the backpack in front of her, police allege. At one point, she walked to the register, but did not pay for anything, and instead went to the restroom for several minutes, police said.
Aquino exited the restroom, walked through the store, and attempted to leave via the front door, but was stopped by police, per the complaint. She was asked to open the backpack, which had several food items, police said. Once detained, a search of the backpack found beverages, snacks, and candy, totaling $106.51, per the complaint.
Additionally, 12 capped hypodermic needles that police said are commonly used to inject heroin and methamphetamine, and a baggie of seven round green pills were found in the backpack, police said.
Aquino admitted the pills were klonopin, police said.
According to court records, Aquino remains incarcerated at Montgomery County jail on $77 cash bail, which includes a parole/probation detainer. A formal arraignment is set for Dec. 11 in Common Pleas Court.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
