Three shoplifting suspects remain jailed in White County after allegedly fleeing with merchandise from the Cleveland Walmart. Following the alleged incident on Saturday, police found an abandoned vehicle in the middle of Woodlawn Avenue. Cleveland Police Chief Jeff Shoemaker says the vehicle had items in it that appeared to be from the store.
Around 6:40 p.m. Saturday, police found one of the suspects walking. They took 42-year-old Whitney Michael Lawyer of Lawrenceville into custody. About five hours later, a resident on Oak Point Drive in the Thunder Ridge Subdivision reported two females acting suspiciously. Upon arrival, responding officers realized the two women were suspects in the shoplifting incident and took them into custody as well.
Police charged 43-year-old Misty Dawn Ekeberg of Hiawassee with theft by shoplifting, second-degree burglary, theft by conversion, fleeing and attempting to elude a police officer, and providing false information to a police officer. Officers also charged her with DUI and several traffic offenses. A judge set her bond for the traffic offenses at $2000 but as of September 7 no bond was set for the other offenses, online records show.
Officers identified the second female suspect as 32-year-old Victoria Lynn Jones, address unknown. They charged Jones with theft by conversion, party to a crime of second-degree burglary, fleeing or attempting to elude, and providing false information. Police also charged Lawyer with being a party to the crime of second-degree burglary, party to the crime of theft by conversion, making false statements, and giving false information to a police officer. A judge set their bonds at $7,000 each.
As of Wednesday afternoon, all three remained in the White County jail.
Dean Dyer of WRWH Radio contributed to this report
