Several reports of shoplifting leads to arrest and drug charges for Guelph woman

An undated photo of the Guelph police logo. (CTV News)

KITCHENER — A Guelph woman has been arrested and is facing drug possession charges following several reports of shoplifting.

The loss prevention officer at a store at Eramosa Road and Stevenson Street reportedly first saw a woman shoplifting around 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 11.

She had put over $900 of merchandise that included beer cases, fruit platters, crackers, and cupcakes into her shopping cart and left without paying, according to officials.

The officer then reportedly confronted her outside before she left the merchandise behind and fled in a vehicle.

Police say the woman successfully shoplifted $614 worth of merchandise from the same store around 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday. The stolen items included chicken breasts, forest hams, tablet accessories, biscuitsand steaks.

Just 20 minutes later, a manager at a store near the same intersection reportedly saw the woman shoplifting $340 worth of merchandise.

She placed the items – that included boxes of crackers, cookies, and milk – in a shopping cart and exited once again without paying, according to officials.

The manager of this store reportedly confronted her outside the store before she left the merchandise behind and fled in a vehicle.

Police say they found the woman sitting in a vehicle at a parking lot on Silvercreek Parkway North and Westwood Road around 10:30 a.m. and arrested her.

They reportedly found nearly $615 worth of stolen merchandise from earlier that morning and $316 worth of stolen items from a store at the intersection of Woodlawn Road and Woolwich Street.

Small amounts of cocaine, crack cocaine, and cannabis were also found, according to officials.

A 33-year-old Guelph woman has been charged with four counts of theft under $5,000, possession for the purpose of trafficking, seven counts of breach of probation and two counts of failing to comply, among other charges.