Women to Cops: We Took Clothes Because We Have No Money

Two women face retail theft charges after being accused of stealing almost $200 worth of merchandise Nov. 6 from Super Kmart in the 16300 block of Harlem Avenue in Tinley Park, police report. The women each had a child with them during the incident and told Tinley Park Police that they took the clothes because they had no money.

READ:

Tiffany E. Porto, 22, of the 15300 block of Merlin Court in Oak Forest, was charged with felony retail theft because she had a previous retail theft conviction in Lake County and served 30 days in jail for it, the report stated. She was being held until her bond hearing, the report continued.

Symantha L. Migawa, 19, of the 12500 block of Trumbull Avenue in Alsip, was charged with misdemeanor retail theft and was released on a $1,500 bond.

Between 1:30 and 3:40 p.m., the store's loss prevention agent saw the suspects via security camera pushing a cart through the store, taking a long time to look at items and placing numerous clothing items in the cart, the report stated. He then saw Porto put some of the items into a large diaper bag, the report continued.

Porto and Migawa went into the same women's fitting room together, and when they exited, all the clothing in the cart was no longer there, the report stated.

READ: Man Says He Planned to Sell Booze He Took to Buy Heroin

The store's agent took the women into custody and found they had taken 19 pieces of merchandise that totaled $192.50, the report stated. The women told police they stole the merchandise because they didn't have any money or clothes to wear.

Migawa's mother looked after the children as the women were being processed by police, the report stated.

Police report information is provided by the Tinley Park Police Department and other law enforcement agencies. Charges are not evidence of guilt. They are a record of police actions on a given day, and persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. If you or a family member are charged or cited and the case is subsequently adjudicated, we encourage you to notify the editor. We will verify and report the outcome.

Two Ways to Stay Connected to Tinley Park Patch:

• Subscribe to our newsletters to have headlines and breaking news delivered to your inbox.
• "Like" our Facebook page for updates throughout the day.