Tara Louise Podemski

WARSAW — A woman with addresses in Warsaw and Elkhart has been arrested after stealing $1,253.14 in items in early July. Tara Louis Podemski, 22, who was booked with an address of 2232 E. Jefferson St., Warsaw, and an address shown on court records as 913 Oxford St., Elkhart, was arrested Wednesday, Aug. 9.

Court documents show she has been charged with corrupt business influence, a level 5 felony; four courts of theft, each one a level 6 felony and attempted theft, a class A misdemeanor. Her bond has been set at $10,250 surety and cash.

The case began July 9, when officials at Meijer Store, Warsaw, notified Warsaw Police who stated two males and a female had stolen $1,253.14 worth of camping equipment earlier that day had returned in an attempt to steal more. Police were notified the trio, who had left before police arrived, were observed filling two shopping carts with merchandise, then pushed the carts into the garden center, where a male subject was holding a dog and attempted to distract the garden center employee to allow the male and female to push the filled carts past all points of pay. The male, with the dog, would not leave the area, the three walked out and entered into two separate vehicles and left. Meijer officials were able to obtain the license plates, one of which was registered to Podemski. The same method was used earlier in the day.

Police were advised earlier in the day the same three selected camping gear, placed it in the shopping carts and walked to the garden center. There one individual distracted the employee with Podemski and the other individual pushing the merchandise past the checkout counters. The items were then loaded into their vehicles before leaving.

Further investigation learned the three had participated in three additional thefts — June 25, June 24 and July 8. The same method was used in those thefts. Items taken June 24 were valued at $1,321.71; items June 25 were valued at $1,117.98 and items July 8 were valued at $1,140.17. The items consisted of sporting goods, automotive, textile, food and liquor items.

Podemski admitted to police she and the two males stole the items several times, but refused to provide the names of those individuals.