Two Women Charged With Working Together On Multiple Retail Thefts

March 1, 2023

More felony charges have been filed in a retail theft case we first told you about last week.

Madonna Faith Barnhill, 57, and Carolyn Faye Harris, 42, were both charged with second degree felony retail theft act in concert with another person and more than one location within a 30 day period.

Barnhill (pictured, above left) was charged with felony petit theft with two or more prior convictions and felony possession of an anti-shoplifting device after she was accused of placing $606.46 worth of merchandise inside an empty microwave box and walking past all points of sale at the Walmart on Pensacola Boulevard. The merchandise was recovered by Walmart’s loss prevention, and the incident was captured on camera, according to an arrest report.

According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Harris eluded capture in that incident but was observed on video stealing items, and Walmart chose not to prosecute Harris.

When Barnhill’s vehicle was searched, “an excessive amount of brand new property” was inside, an arrest report states. The vehicle contained brand new power tools, four brand new purses, multiple pieces of clothing and several boxes of jewelry. The clothes and jewelry were from Belk.

Also in the vehicle was a wallet with multiple credit cards belonging to Harris, along with her driver’s license. The report notes the driver’s license confirmed that it was Harris on the Walmart security video.

A loss prevention employee at Belk was able to locate video of both Barnhill and Harris stealing the items from the Pensacola store on February 21. The items were valued at $1,565.71. The Belk employee told deputies that Barnhill had previously stolen from Belk in Mobile and was trespassed warned from all Belk properties.

Barnhill has an “extensive criminal history spanning literally decades and consisting of numerous thefts, faud, false names, forgery” the arrest report states.

Barnhill was released on a $20,000 bond, while Harris was released on a $2,000 bond. Barnhill also had an $8,000 in connection with the Walmart case.

Comments

10 Responses to “Two Women Charged With Working Together On Multiple Retail Thefts”

  1. Susie on March 2nd, 2023 6:45 pm

    Thieves don’t care about anyone or anything. They both should be in prison. I hope they don’t have children they can rub off on. Poor kids.

  2. Cantonment Mom on March 2nd, 2023 5:11 pm

    I know someone who does this for a living! But its grocery stores that he hits..actually puts the steaks, etc down his pants (wears big sweat pants into the store). He has been in jail too many times to even count but they just let him out over and over again because its not a “violent crime”. He will never stop-he has nothing to lose. He’s never had a job in the 39 years I have known him. And no–we are not friends. He’s a loser and will never be anything more than a liar and a thief. Just a shame our judicial system just allows it to continue. And of course, us law abiding citizens are the ones who pay the price.

  3. tc on March 1st, 2023 10:54 pm

    these 2 need their fingers removed….

  4. Eli on March 1st, 2023 10:15 pm

    If this has been going on for DECADES NOW…..I honestly don’t see any judge of judgment coming their way! In fact I believe the system will slap the hands and once again they will be back at your local stores taking whatever they fancy. I mean really… why pay when one can just walk out the door with it and nothing ever happens to you??

  5. JTV on March 1st, 2023 3:46 pm

    Coordinated thieves, please take the trash out.

  6. SueB on March 1st, 2023 12:45 pm

    Judge with slap them on their hands, give small fine and let them go to steal again.

  7. mnon on March 1st, 2023 11:42 am

    decades folks… I know people who use to do this 20-25 years ago. Make several thousand a day, do it for a few days then go party for a month. Rinse repeat… It is so much harder to do today with product databases, they know what’s been scanned etc. Takes so much time offloading to a fence, and the profit isn’t as high as it could be if you turtle the merch and sell it at a premium on the black market. Just not worth it, go get a real job and quit being a thief.

  8. Tom on March 1st, 2023 10:42 am

    I am sure Walmart will make it without you somehow.

  9. Bob on March 1st, 2023 9:54 am

    I think these fine young ladies have been hit hard because of inflation and just wanted a new outfit to wear to church.

  10. JJ on March 1st, 2023 8:33 am

    Walmart, prosecute!!! You are leaving your doors open for the shop lifters!!! another reason why I still wont shop at Walmart.