Three Women Arrested for Shoplifting on Elm Street

New Canaan Police arrested three women for shoplifting on Sunday afternoon.

Officers responded to a report of larceny from the manager of the Rugby Store at 115 Elm St. at 3:24 p.m. The manager had seen three black females enter the store, one of whom was carrying an Abercrombie & Fitch shopping bag. The manager thought this was suspicious as the closest Abercrombie & Fitch store is in Stamford and the woman did not approach the counter to return something. The manager then noticed a brown leather jacket like those sold in the store in the woman's bag although she confirmed by checking the store inventory that no such item had been sold that day. The manager called police after an employee told her she'd overheard one of the women saying that they were planning to go to J. Crew further down Elm Street.

An officer saw the women walking on Cherry Street toward Park Street; he noticed them speed up as he passed them. Other officers responded to the area to assist in detaining the trio who split up near the corner of Park and Elm Streets, with one going toward the train station, another toward First County Bank, and a third toward Starbucks.

Nineteen-year-old Jasmin Ana Yalley of 13145 227th St. in Laurelton, NY was found in possession of the $598 leather jacket from the Rugby Store and three sweaters from J. Crew valued at a total of $374. Twenty-four-year-old Kristle Bonfield of 901 Washington Ave., Brooklyn, NY was caught with six J. Crew sweaters valued at $445 total.

Yalley and Bonfield were carrying shopping bags designed to bypass shoplifting alarm systems. Police also arrested 23-year-old Shana N. Mcleod of 243 E. 54th St., Brooklyn, NY.

The Rugby store manager positively identified the women at the scene. All three were charged with conspiracy to commit larceny in the 4th degree. Yalley and Bonfield were also charged with possession of a shoplifting device. Yalley was additionally charged with interfering with an officer as she had struggled to escape arrest. They were held Sunday at New Canaan Police headquarters on $5,000 bond each and transported to Norwalk Superior Court Monday for arraignment.

Police are seeking a warrant to search a vehicle they believe one of the women used to drive the other two to Elm Street.