Mugshot of Tashema Hutchinson. Photo Credit: THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT.
ST. CROIX — Tashema Hutchinson has been charged with grand larceny after allegedly stealing jewelry valued at $1600 from a Castle Coakley retail store, according to local authorities.
In a series of events reported to the V.I. Police Department on Tuesday, the store manager said that the previous day, a customer had dropped off two bracelets to be resized for their young nieces. However, the manager could not find any record of their sale and was unable to make the adjustment due to the absence of any accompanying receipts.
The customer alleged that the bracelets were gifts from Tashema Hutchinson,an employee of the V.I. Legislature. The store manager reviewed the surveillance footage from May 31st, the last time Hutchinson was seen in-store, but could find no evidence of the purchase by her.
According to court documents, surveillance footage showed Hutchinson browsing through gold charms and requesting a cleaning service for her bracelet. While the manager was away cleaning her bracelet, Hutchinson was seen allegedly placing multiple jewelry items into her purse from the store's earring and bracelet displays.
Inventory records later confirmed the theft when the manager noted several missing items. The store maintains a practice of creating only one of each item at a time to keep track of sales. A list provided by the store's owner itemized the stolen items totaling $1600.
Before leaving the store, Hutchinson paid for one charm but did not account for the other items found to be missing.
The recipients of the bracelets were the daughters of a friend of Hutchinson. The friend, who was questioned by the police, reported that Hutchinson had given the bracelets as gifts on June 2. Upon realizing that the bracelets were too large, they were handed off to another family friend who is acquainted to the store manager, to be resized.
After police reviewed the surveillance footage and took statements from both the store manager and Hutchinson's friend, they contacted Hutchinson for her statement. She claimed that the bracelets had accidentally fallen onto the floor and she decided to take both to see which would fit her friend’s children. She admitted to placing them in her purse and exiting the store without paying for the jewelry.
Upon further inquiry, Hutchinson confessed to an earlier theft, stealing an additional bracelet and pair of earrings. Following her admission, Hutchinson was arrested and remanded into custody after failing to post a bail of $20,000.
At her advice of rights hearing on Friday, probable cause was established for the grand larceny charge. No details of Hutchinson’s pre-trial release order have been shared by the courts, and a date for her arraignment remains unlisted.
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