A Middletown, Ohio woman faces additional charges after she asked a friend to say she'd go and boom a local retailer.When Molly Martin, 21, of Middletown, was apprehended by the loss prevention officer at Meijer last week, she allegedly sent a text to a friend and asked her to call in a bomb threat as a distraction, according to Middletown police.
"Be a good friend and get yourself in trouble to bail me out trouble, please."
"Okay."
Martin was arrested and charged with petty theft and making false alarms, both misdemeanors.
Detective Ken Rogers of the Middletown Division of Police said the officers on the scene quickly determined the bomb threat was on the same level as reports of the Loch Ness Monster, so the store wasn't evacuated. Had one person left the store because of the threat, Martin would have been charged with inducing panic, a felony, Rogers said.
"Nice try, lady. There was a 911 call to the effect that your friend's lips had fallen off."
He called the incident "a silly mistake, but a very serious offense." He praised the police officers, and Martin's cooperation for keeping the situation from escalating.
During the alleged incident, Martin was in the store with her 17-month-old daughter. Martin's mother picked up the baby from the store.
Martin allegedly claimed a five-finger discount on $384.73 worth of clothing, children's clothing, socks, belts, handbags and toys, a tablecloth and a kid's watch.
She allegedly put the items in a cart and concealed herself in the bra aisle. That's when she allegedly placed all the items in bags, placed them in the cart and exited the store. She was quickly apprehended by the store's security.
"What do you think you're doing with that stuff? Do you have a receipt"
"Uh, I think I lost it."
"We've heard that one a thousand times before, lady. A thousand times in base twenty-four."
She will have her preliminary hearing at 10:30 a.m. Friday in Middletown Municipal Court.