New Jersey woman accused by police of stealing more than $1,300 in cosmetics

A Newark, New Jersey woman has been charged with felony retail theft and felony receiving stolen property after stealing almost $1,300 in cosmetics from Target in Warrington Township last week.

Carolina Diana Almachi-Caiza, 31, of the unit block of N. 12^th Street, also discarded the merchandise back throughout the store and parking lot after being stopped by loss prevention, police allege.

On Thursday at 12:15 p.m., Target loss prevention called Warrington Township Police regarding a retail theft in progress, allegedly committed by Almachi-Caiza.

Almachi-Caiza, authorities allege, emptied the entire bottom shelf of cosmetics into a basket, and then went to the girls clothes section, where she began stuffing the merchandise into her upper shirt area.

Police said Almachi-Caiza then went to exit the store through the entry vestibule without paying for the concealed merchandise. Loss prevention stopped Almachi-Caiza in the vestibule, who turned around and began walking back into the store, dropping merchandise on the ground, police said.

Loss prevention recovered $743.92 worth of cosmetics, per the affidavit.

Almachi-Caiza then left the store, walking toward Chipotle, police said, and was caught attempting to discard more merchandise under cars in the parking lot. She was stopped by police in the Chipotle lot at 385 Easton Road.

The recovered merchandise from the parking lot totaled $503.25, police said.

Once at police headquarters, Almachi-Caiza was searched, and a concealed box of La Roche-Posay acne treatment medication was found in her bra, police said.

A further search found a small circular magnet attached to the rear of Almachi-Caiza’s phone, which, police allege, she used to detach magnetic retail anti-theft equipment.

Almachi-Caiza was then charged with misdemeanor possessing an instrument of crime, per court records.

Almachi-Caiza is free on 10% of $50,000 cash bail, posted on Thursday following arraignment by Magisterial District Judge Stacy Wertman. A preliminary hearing is scheduled before Wertman Sept. 9 at 9 a.m.

All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.