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East Washington woman charged with retail theft

3 min read
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An East Washington woman was taken into custody Thursday on an arrest warrant obtained by South Strabane Township police on five counts of felony retail theft for allegedly stealing items from a sporting goods store and then having accomplices return the items to another store in exchange for gift cards.

Rachel R. Phillips, 35, of 128 Christman Ave., is accused of going into Field and Stream at Old Mill on five occasions in late July and early August, when she allegedly stole hunting and fishing items. She then allegedly gave the stolen merchandise to accomplices to return at Dick’s, Strabane Square, in exchange for gift cards. While those accomplices were successful four times, they were not on a fifth, when the return was denied because store personnel had been warned the returns may be associated with a theft, police said.

Phillips was arraigned before District Judge Jay Weller and released on her own recognizance. She is scheduled for a Nov. 14 preliminary hearing before Weller. The stolen items were valued at more than $1,400. Detective Ken Torboli, who filed the charges against Phillips, said he also plans to charge her alleged accomplices.

Phillips was one of several people charged last week by township police with theft for allegedly stealing from township businesses.

Andriy Modnyy, 39, of River Grove, Ill., was arrested Friday on charges of retail theft and resisting arrest after he allegedly stole items valued at $447.98 from Kohl’s, Strabane Square.

Modnyy was arraigned before Weller and placed in Washington County jail on $10,000 bond.

Harvey L. Hall III, 50, of 2585 Hickory St., Bethel Park, also was arraigned Thursday before Weller on charges of retail theft, false identification to police and defiant trespass after he allegedly stole items valued at $243 from Walmart, Trinity Point, Oct. 3. Hall was released after posting $5,000 bond.

Several people were sent summonses by Weller’s office.

Skyler C. George, 27, of 1136 Arch St., Washington, was charged with retail theft, false identification to police and possession of paraphernalia after allegedly stealing items valued at $428.75 from Target, Strabane Square, Sept. 27.

Three women were charged in connection with two thefts at Kohl’s. Jennifer Lynn Kuhn, 29, of Ravenswood, W.Va., is charged with theft by deception after she allegedly selected four items of clothing and took them to customer service in exchange for a gift card. Nicole Walden, 32, whose last known address was on Ohio Street in Washington, and Amy Cornell, 43, of 1149 Bruce St., Washington, were charged with retail theft, theft by deception and conspiracy for allegedly stealing items and then making a fraudulent return Aug. 17.

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