Warrington Police Get More than They Bargained For With Two Out Of Town Shoplifters
by Alex Lloyd Gross
Kristal Smith
Leaving a baby in an occupied car is a crime. That is why a Warrington Twp. Police Officer was concerned on March 2,2024. It was about 4:45PM and the officer was patrolling the Home Depot parking lot. They noticed a car parked with a baby seat in the rear of the car. There was a blanket put over the seat. Thinking this is a tactic to use to abandon a baby to go shopping, the officer started to investigate more.
The officer watched as two females, identified as Kristal Smith from Jersey City, New Jersey and Desteni Grant from Brooklyn, New York returned to the car. When they spotted the officer,they ran and tried to hide. They knew they were in trouble. They were found nearby and brought back to the vehicle.
The reason they fled was because they allegedly had stolen merchandise from Home Depot on them. When officers took them back to the vehicle, there was no child in the baby seat. There was, however more stolen merchandise stashed in the baby seat, police said. The blanket was used to cover up the stolen goods.
The couple allegedly stole $2173.00 in dimmer switches. When police got a search warrant for the vehicle, they found an additional $7100.00 in merchandise that police said was stolen.
Grant was arraigned by Judge Gamberdella who set bail at $50,000.00 or 10% cash. Grant was transported to Bucks County Correctional Facility. Smith was processed and released, her charges were filed at District Court. Both face charges of 5104.2 Evading Arrest or Detention on Foot (F3) 2 Counts 3925 (A) Receiving Stolen Property (F3)