Four Gary residents were arrested and face a string of charges following an alleged attempted shoplifting incident at the Wal-Mart that escalated into much more, according to police reports.
Aaliyah Coulter, 21, Marcus Martin, Angel Townson and Derek Daniels, all 19, were being held in the Porter County Jail Monday. All four said they live in the 3700 block of Harrison Street in Gary.
According to police reports, Coulter and Daniels bought a printer Friday at the store, 6087 U.S. 6. The pair then went back to the electronics department, where they grabbed another printer and, later, stuffed it into a shopping bag with clothing items Coulter picked up, passing up cash registers and heading for store exits, a police report said.
Meanwhile, reports also say Townson and Daniels entered the store and allegedly tried to steal ink cartridges.
All four exited separately through separate store doors. A loss prevention employee later confronted Daniels after the Gary man returned to the store to try to return one of the printers. Daniels allegedly struck and battered the employee before fleeing the store, the police report said.
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The four fled the store in a red Toyota Camry, and they were stopped a short time later by a Portage police officer. As the officer exited his car to approach the Toyota, the driver, identified as Coulter, sped off, beginning a chase through Portage that ended near Boulder Avenue, the police report said.
Additional officers arrived where the four were stopped and began questioning them. Coulter claimed she was pregnant and was experiencing abdominal pain, but she refused medical treatment at a local hospital, reports said.
Martin allegedly tried to hide his identity, using an alias, reports said.
Police offered Townson, who claimed she was homeless, a courtesy ride to Merrillville, where Townson said she was staying, until the officer received word of allegations Townson also tried to steal items from the store, reports said.
Townson became irate when officers returned her to the Wal-Mart store and began questioning her, the report said.
At the Porter County Jail, where all four were transported, jail staff found a 9 mm pistol and drug paraphernalia in Coulter’s purse, the report said.
Coulter was charged with felony fleeing in a vehicle and misdemeanor charges of theft, carrying a pistol without a permit and possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Martin was charged with misdemeanor theft and false informing. Townson was charged with misdemeanor theft and disorderly conduct. Daniels was charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana, theft and battery.
Michael Gonzalez is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.