Not Your Typical Retail Theft

might have been confused Aug. 6 when they responded to a retail theft report in Lower Macungie Township.

With police making regular trips to and for reports of shoppers with sticky fingers, it would have been natural to have assumed that the theft report would be coming from either department store. But police weren't pulling up to find retail space with heavy glass doors, cash registers or glitzy jewelry counters.

Instead, they arrived at the Hills of Lockridge Development to find simple tables in front yards and hand-scrawled price stickers.

The theft prevention specialists who greeted them were a non-uniformed pair who were part of a community yard sale that included Luman Drive and Crane Crossing, according to police.

The two reported that a woman in her 40s, wearing a pink shirt and driving a newer model dark tan or brown Honda Pilot took several items without paying, including an iPod Shuffle and several pieces of jewelry, police said.

Seems the shopper took a little too literally the general perception that yard sales offer "bargain pricing." Discounted pricing, yes; free, no.