Three young women were arrested after an alleged liquor stealing spree last week at a string of Safeways, including on Bainbridge Island.
Roshina Windon, 23, and Davitta Roshawn Dorsey, 21, of Seattle and Allante Miles, 21, of Kent were initially arrested by Port Orchard police for stealing liquor, but have been released pending the results of a Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office investigation.
It is unknown why the women allegedly stole so much liquor, but police have a few ideas.
“I can only speculate, but I would think that they were going to do private sales of the alcohol for a decreased cost,” said Sheriff Deputy Scott Wilson.
When a Bremerton Safeway noticed a possible theft by the three women in the early morning hours of Monday, Sept. 3, employees called and warned other Safeway stores in the region.
Bainbridge Island’s Safeway, however, discovered it had already been hit. Women matching the descriptions of the thieves from the earlier heist were witnessed in the store approximately two hours before.
Island officers then made a warning call to the Port Orchard Police Department.
“The Safeway stores were all talking to each other,” Wilson said. “So when the three women walked into the store (in Port Orchard), they knew.”
The three women were apprehended at the Port Orchard Safeway. They are not only suspects in the Sept. 3 thefts, but also in a series of similar crimes that occurred on the evening of Thursday, Aug. 30.
“It appears that these thefts occurred with the same females,” Wilson said.
On Aug. 30, just as on Sept. 3, the women had allegedly hit Safeway after Safeway — beginning on Bainbridge Island — by filling their large purses with bottles of booze.
“They walked in, they would load up bags with the alcohol, and they walked out,” Wilson said.
More than $1,200 in Hennessy cognac and other brands were stolen from the Bainbridge Safeway on Aug. 30.
The store’s Sept. 3 loss wasn’t as costly. It is suspected that the three women removed bottles of Crown Royal whiskey from boxes at the Safeway, and filled their purses with the bottles. Five bottles of Crown Royal Reserve valued at $274, three bottles of Crown Royal Black valued at $113, and three bottles of Crown Royal Purple valued at $95 were stolen. The whiskey was valued at approximately $615.
Empty boxes of Crown Royal, with possible fingerprints, were taken as evidence from the island Safeway.
After the trio was arrested, Port Orchard police obtained a search warrant for the car they were using and discovered more bottles of liquor.
“There was alcohol found in the trunk, quite a bit,” Wilson said. “They were high-end brands, expensive bottles.”
Surveillance videos were also collected as evidence from the stores, however, the island Safeway’s cameras focused on the liquor aisle were not turned on at the time. The three women were filmed entering the Bainbridge store with empty bags, and leaving with what appeared to be full bags, according to police reports.
The Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office is handling the investigation, and is combining the theft cases from across the county.
Wilson also said that it is quite possible that Safeway stores were not the only targets, rather, employees there were more organized to help stop the thieves.
Wilson said that the investigation is looking into other stores in the Kitsap region, such as a Walmart and a Rite Aid that also could have related liquor thefts.
If the price tag on the thefts goes high enough, the case could result in felony charges.