Woman Cooked Up Trouble; Charges Follow Suspected Theft of Measuring Cups, Ice Cream Scoop

When the woman carrying the Dollar Tree bag kept picking items up and putting them back down as she walked the aisles at Piggly Wiggly, the loss prevention officer started paying attention.

He later told police he saw the woman hide measuring cups, an ice cream scoop and two magazines inside a Dollar Tree bag and then walk past the last point of purchase.

Babi Thomas, 38, of Racine, is charged with misdemeanor retail theft, disorderly conduct, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and misdemeanor bail jumping. If convicted of all counts, she faces more than two years in jail and could pay more than $40,000 in fines.

According to the criminal complaint:

When Mount Pleasant police arrived at the store, about 1:45 p.m. Jan. 18, they found three people holding her down on the ground outside the west doors.

The loss prevention officer told police he stopped Thomas, but she began to fight with him, and the complaint states he had no choice but to pin her in the corner until help arrived. The items Thomas is accused of shoplifting were worth $22.72.

When officers searched Thomas, they reported finding prescription drugs, as well as Ecstasy and a crack pipe. Some of the pills had been prescribed to her.