Featured: Lisa Debenedictis, courtesy of Flagler County Sheriff’s Office. Pictured: Florida Target where Debenedictis purportedly employed her 9-year-old daughter in a shoplifting attempt (Google Maps).
In a startling case from Florida, authorities allege that a woman took her young daughter to a Target store with the intent of executing a shoplifting plot. The child was reportedly tasked with hiding items such as Lysol, earrings, and candy in a pink backpack, while her mother covertly handled items like Coca-Cola and self-tanner at the self-checkout, slipping them past without payment.
The accused, 48-year-old Lisa Debenedictis, now faces charges including petit theft and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. These charges are part of a legal process documented in court records linked to the alleged retail theft strategy.
According to an arrest affidavit inspected by Law&Crime, law enforcement was summoned to a Target outlet in Flagler County. The alert came after the store’s asset protection personnel spotted both a woman and a child concealing items and leaving the premises post-concealment.
Upon engaging with Debenedictis and her daughter outside the store, officers reviewed surveillance footage. This footage allegedly captured both individuals involved in the act of theft inside the Target location. Specifically, the child was reportedly seen concealing $25.97 worth of goods in the backpack, while Debenedictis is accused of bypassing payment for $47.27 worth of products at the self-checkout.
“While Lisa was inside the bathroom, [the child] obtained merchandise and placed it into a pink backpack,” the affidavit says. “Lisa returned … and grabbed a package of Lysol wipes from the shopping cart and placed the item into [the child’s] backpack with her knowledge.”
Debenedictis and her daughter continued to walk around Target, selecting various items of “merchandise and produce” until proceeding to a self-checkout line, the affidavit says. “Lisa purposely did not scan numerous items and placed them into a grocery bag,” the document alleges.
“Additionally, Lisa purposely failed to scan merchandise that was left inside the grocery cart and did not attempt to scan the items,” according to police.
The items allegedly stolen by the child included “14K Gold Plated Earrings” valued at $19.99, “Gumi Yum” candy valued at $2.99, and “Lysol Spray” valued at $2.99. Debenedictis allegedly stole organic sugar, Coca-Cola, bagels, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, feminine wipes, an EcoTools blending brush, “Bodi Sands Self Tanning Drops,” acrylic paint, “colorful stickers” and “card packs.”
“It was determined that Lisa encouraged and assisted [her daughter] to conceal unpaid merchandise with the intent on depriving Target,” the affidavit concludes. “Furthermore, Lisa participated in the theft by purposely not scanning numerous items and accompanying [her daughter] of Target without rendering payment, passing all points of sale. [Her daughter’s] actions constituted a shoplifting — petit theft, which Lisa caused and contributed to [her daughter’s] delinquency.”
Debenedictis is scheduled to be arraigned on Sept. 1.
The post Mom took little girl to Target and forced her to steal Lysol, earrings and candy inside pink backpack while the mother swiped self-tanner, Coca-Cola and other items: Cops first appeared on Law & Crime.