A Florida woman stands accused of bringing her 9-year-old daughter to Target and allegedly using the child to steal Lysol, earrings and candy by stuffing them into a pink backpack, while the mother reportedly slipped Coca-Cola, self-tanner and other items past self-checkout without paying.
Lisa Debenedictis, 48, is facing charges of petit theft and contributing to the delinquency of a child in connection with the alleged shoplifting scheme, according to court records.
An arrest affidavit reviewed by Law&Crime says police were called to a Target in Flagler County after asset protection staff reported a woman and a child “were concealing merchandise and had just exited the store.”
Officers caught up with Debenedictis and her daughter outside the store and reviewed surveillance footage that allegedly showed both of them stealing items while inside the Target. The video purportedly captured the child taking $25.97 worth of merchandise using the pink backpack, while Debenedictis snuck $47.27 worth of goods through self-checkout.
“While Lisa was inside the bathroom, [the child] obtained merchandise and placed it into a pink backpack,” the affidavit states. “Lisa returned … and grabbed a package of Lysol wipes from the shopping cart and placed the item into [the child’s] backpack with her knowledge.”
Debenedictis and her daughter continued to walk around the store, selecting various items of “merchandise and produce” until proceeding to a self-checkout line, the affidavit says. “Lisa purposely did not scan numerous items and placed them into a grocery bag,” the document alleges.
“Additionally, Lisa purposely failed to scan merchandise that was left inside the grocery cart and did not attempt to scan the items,” according to police.
The merchandise the child allegedly stole included “14K Gold Plated Earrings” valued at $19.99, “Gumi Yum” candy valued at $2.99, and “Lysol Spray” valued at $2.99. Debenedictis is alleged to have taken organic sugar, Coca-Cola, bagels, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, feminine wipes, an EcoTools blending brush, “Bodi Sands Self Tanning Drops,” acrylic paint, “colorful stickers” and “card packs.”
“It was determined that Lisa encouraged and assisted [her daughter] to conceal unpaid merchandise with the intent on depriving Target,” the affidavit concludes. “Furthermore, Lisa participated in the theft by purposely not scanning numerous items and accompanying [her daughter] of Target without rendering payment, passing all points of sale. [Her daughter’s] actions constituted a shoplifting , petit theft, which Lisa caused and contributed to [her daughter’s] delinquency.”
Debenedictis is scheduled to be arraigned on Sept. 1.
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