Women arrested after stealing items, pepper spraying store employee

Two Indianapolis women were arrested after police said they stole items from multiple Greenwood Park Mall stores and sprayed pepper spray at a store employee who tried to stop them.

Toia Hamilton, 22, 10102 Pine Needle Court, Apt. C, was arrested on charges of theft, possession of marijuana/hashish and driving while suspended.

Jaylin Pennington-Tucker, 27, 11410 Dunshire Drive, was arrested on charges of robbery and theft.

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Police were called to the JC Penney store at 8:16 p.m. Saturday to a robbery report. A loss prevention officer reported that the women stole multiple items of Nike clothing and that Pennington-Tucker sprayed pepper spray toward the loss prevention officer when he tried to stop them. The spray just missed the loss prevention officer and landed on a window, according to a report from the Greenwood Police Department.

The women got into a vehicle and fled. They were stopped by officers in the 700 block of U.S. 31, the report said.

Both women left the vehicle, but told officers they had not committed a crime. Officers found bags in the vehicle that had merchandise with price tags still attached from JC Penney’s and Macy’s, the report said.

Police searched the vehicle and found a green leafy substance, pepper spray and a magnet that is commonly used to detach anti theft devices from merchandise, according to the report.

Both women were arrested and taken to the Johnson County jail. Hamilton was released on $3,000 bond. Pennington-Tucker was held on $4,500 bond.

Additional items were found on Pennington-Tucker while she was being booked into jail.