Target employees helped each other steal, police say

DELRAY BEACH, Fla. - You might call them a Target tag team – and police say their finishing move was petty theft.

Two employees at a Delray Beach Target are now facing theft charges after a security officer discovered they had been helping each other steal hundreds of dollars in store merchandise.

Police recounted the events leading to the duo's arrest:

The store security manager called police Wednesday just after 6 p.m. and reported that two employees – 18-year-old Kayla Thomas and 20-year-old Rebecca Joassaint – had been caught shoplifting from the store at 1200 West Linton Blvd.

Looking through video surveillance footage, security guards had watched the team in action:

On Sept. 9, Joassaint rolled her cart to front of the store where Thomas worked the cash register. Joassaint had items worth $90.31 in the cart.

But Thomas rang up only one item – for $5.71.

Joassaint walked out of the store with more than $80 in stolen goods.

The duo struck again less than a week later on Sept. 17.

Just after 1 p.m., Thomas walked up to the register where Joassaint worked. Thomas had several items, but Joassaint only rang up one.

Thomas got everything for $3.39.

The same day, just after 11 p.m., Joassaint brought 27 items to the front of the store, where Thomas worked the register. Thomas rang up all the items, but then voided 24 of the items.

Joassaint only paid for three of the items and walked out with more than $200 in stolen items.

The Target security team later learned that Thomas had allegedly stolen three Target gift cards worth $105. She used the cards and her employee discount in six transactions in September.

Police put receipts listing dates, times, item quantities and prices into evidence and booked both women in the Palm Beach County Jail on petty theft and organized fraud charges.

Thomas, who has been arrested once before, left jail on Thursday on $3,000 bond. But Joassaint, who had never been arrested before Wednesday, remained in jail Thursday without bond.

ekomenda@tribune.com, 561-243-6531, Twitter: @ejkomenda

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