A Modesto woman was arrested Friday afternoon after she allegedly pushed an employee of Sally's Beauty Supply out of the way as she was taking goods out of the store.
"Had she walked out the door it would have been straight shoplifting," explained Ceres Police Department spokesman Lt. James Yandell. "But when she gave a push it became robbery because it was by force or fear."
Luzandra Bermudez, 43, of Modesto, was charged with robbery.
Police were called at 1:10 p.m. to the store in the 1600 block of Hatch Road after employees saw Bermudez placing items in her bag and confronted her about it. She allegedly pushed the employee and ran out of the store with the employee giving chase. When the employee caught up with Bermudez near the Home Depot store, the suspect turned around and sprayed her with pepper spray and continued to run away.
The suspect was apprehended by Officer Eric Gallegos near Home Depot and taken into custody without incident. The stolen goods were recovered.
Push turns theft into robbery for woman