Women arrested after stealing items, pepper spraying store employee

<p>Two Indianapolis women were arrested after police said they stole items from multiple Greenwood Park Mall stores and sprayed pepper spray at a store employee who tried to stop them.</p><p>Toia Hamilton, 22, 10102 Pine Needle Court, Apt. C, was arrested on charges of theft, possession of marijuana/hashish and driving while suspended.</p><p>Jaylin Pennington-Tucker, 27, 11410 Dunshire Drive, was arrested on charges of robbery and theft.</p>[sc:text-divider text-divider-title="Story continues below gallery" ]<p>Police were called to the JC Penney store at 8:16 p.m. Saturday to a robbery report. A loss prevention officer reported that the women stole multiple items of Nike clothing and that Pennington-Tucker sprayed pepper spray toward the loss prevention officer when he tried to stop them. The spray just missed the loss prevention officer and landed on a window, according to a report from the Greenwood Police Department.</p><p>The women got into a vehicle and fled. They were stopped by officers in the 700 block of U.S. 31, the report said.</p><p>Both women left the vehicle, but told officers they had not committed a crime. Officers found bags in the vehicle that had merchandise with price tags still attached from JC Penney’s and Macy’s, the report said.</p><p>Police searched the vehicle and found a green leafy substance, pepper spray and a magnet that is commonly used to detach anti theft devices from merchandise, according to the report.</p><p>Both women were arrested and taken to the Johnson County jail. Hamilton was released on $3,000 bond. Pennington-Tucker was held on $4,500 bond.</p><p>Additional items were found on Pennington-Tucker while she was being booked into jail.</p>