3 Arrested After Retail Theft at Wilkes-Barre Mall

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Three people were arrested on Saturday afternoon in Wilkes-Barre Township, Pennsylvania following a retail theft at the Wyoming Valley Mall JCPenney store. The suspects, Casey Lynn Hughes, Rahmel Steve Lambert, and Valerie Lee Ungvarsky, were found in possession of illegal drugs including ecstasy, marijuana, and alprazolam after fleeing the scene in a silver Toyota Camry. Hughes admitted to stealing merchandise from the store and is facing charges of retail theft and tampering with evidence, while Lambert and Ungvarsky are facing drug possession and paraphernalia charges.

Why it matters

Retail theft is an ongoing issue for many shopping malls and stores, often involving organized criminal rings that target multiple locations. This incident highlights the potential for such crimes to escalate when suspects attempt to evade police, leading to additional charges related to drugs and other contraband.

The details

According to police, the three suspects were apprehended at 4:17 pm on Saturday after officers located their silver Toyota Camry, which had fled the scene of the JCPenney shoplifting incident. A search of the vehicle uncovered ecstasy, marijuana, and alprazolam pills. Hughes admitted to taking merchandise from the store, and is facing charges of retail theft and tampering with evidence, while Lambert and Ungvarsky are facing charges of illegal drug possession and paraphernalia.

• The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon around 4:17 pm.