PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Three Florida women face felony charges for stealing $32,600 in baby formula across multiple counties.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office and Office of Statewide Prosecution accuse 28-year-old Debreka Anderson, 34-year-old Elizabeth Hutchins and 38-year-old Geraldine Kitchen of walking out of stores without paying multiple times between November 2024 and January 2026.
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The women targeted stores such as Target, Publix, Winn-Dixie, Walmart and CVS locations in Palm Beach, Miami-Dade, Broward, Osceola, Polk and Orange Counties.
Investigators said they filled bags, purses, strollers and bins with formula and sometimes concealed them before leaving at least 47 times.
Deputies tracked the women using surveillance video and license plate readers, noting they used various rental cars. Authorities also found a Lake Worth home reselling the stolen formula, with some buyers admitting they purchased the products.
"Remember when it comes to baby formula, we've had significant shortages in the past that make it challenging for moms out there, so we’re going to take retail theft seriously," James Uthmeier said in a press conference last September.
The massive theft scheme left many Palm Beach County residents in shock.
"There’s so much more crime than we’re aware of," Christian Rios said. "People are not just doing it for baby formula right? They’re doing it for a multitude of products. To find out they stole all of this from all of the mothers, all these kids in need."
Region Martin County
Deputies recover 262 cans of stolen baby formula in Martin County bust
The National Retail Federation reports a 19% increase in shoplifting from 2023 to 2024, with baby formula among the most targeted items. Last year, Attorney General James Uthmeier said prosecutors can now charge these thefts as first-degree felonies.
"It's not just the fact that they're stealing from a corporation, like Target, but what are the downstream effects?" Rios said. "So I think in a way it's an eye-opener for people to realize, be aware of your surroundings and if you see something, say something at the end of the day," Rios said.
Anderson and Hutchins are facing three felony counts of organized crime theft, and Kitchen is facing two counts.
"All I could say is thank God they're off the streets cause they sound like dangerous people," Devin Gordon. said.
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