Falsely Accused Of Theft, NJ Woman Charged With Resisting

Editor's note: This article has been updated with comment from Hanover police.

HANOVER, NJ — A 60-year-old grandmother was accused of stealing a wallet Saturday from a ShopRite of Greater Morristown customer. The customer found the wallet in her car and tried to apologize, but the woman still faces charges related to the encounter.

The patron reported the potential theft to police, according to a press release. The shopper said that a grandmother asked her to take 2-year-old granddaughter for a walk down the aisle. The customer agreed but came back and noticed her wallet missing, and she believed the grandmother took it.

Officer Josh Williams tried speaking with the woman suspected of theft, who prepared to leave the store with a cart of groceries. The woman "refused to wait to speak with Officer Williams and continued walking away from him," according to police.

Williams tried explaining he needed her information because of the accusations against her. He told the woman if she ignored orders, she'd be charged with obstructing his investigation. As Williams tried to stop her from walking away, she said "no" and continued toward her vehicle.

The officer advised the 60-year-old that she would be charged with obstruction. During the arrest, she "resisted and would not comply with the orders being given to her and pulled away during handcuffing and refused to walk when asked to," according to Hanover police.

Officers advised her a summons would be mailed with charges of obstruction and resisting arrest. As she was arrested, the customer said she found the wallet in her vehicle and wanted to apologize. But the grandmother wasn't interested in listening, police said.

Hanover Police Cpt. David White said the department's officers were following protocols for investigating what they thought was a crime.

"The law states that if you’re investigating a crime, which at the time is what we thought it was, you’re required to provide that information so we can complete our investigation," White told Patch.

White believes the charges could've been avoided if the woman stopped and provided her information. In that time, the other woman may have came back to say she found the wallet in her car, he said.

"You have to look at it as, if you’re that victim, what would you want the police officer to do?" White said. "We're not going to say ‘I’m sorry ma'am, I’m sorry sir. She doesn’t want to talk to us, so we’re going to let her go. Sorry if you think she took your wallet. She may have. She may not have. She didn’t want to talk to us, so we’re just going to let her go.’"

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