Caught with Hidden Camera, Duo Charged with Shoplifting

A Tulare duo may not have gotten away with sneaking a camera out of a local drugstore, but at least least they’ll have their booking photo to commemorate the day they were arrested on shoplifting charges.

Matthew Frederick Pina, 24, of 683 E. Inyo in Tulare, walked into the Rite Aid store on North K Street in Tulare with Brittany Raquel Salas, 20, of 733 S. U St. in Tulare on Tuesday afternoon, according to the Tulare Police Department. They immediately caught the eye of the store’s loss prevention officer who kept them in his sights.

A camera and a CD player caught the pair’s eye, the store security officer saw—in the mirrors mounted on the store’s walls—Salas pick up the CD player while Pina picked up the camera. The security officer heard the sound of plastic breaking and, through the mirrors mounted high on the store’s walls, saw Salas looking around as Pina put the camera under his shirt, according to Tulare Police Capt. Jerry Breckinridge.

Salas put the CD player down and left with Pina—without paying for the hidden camera.

The loss prevention officer followed the duo, telling them to stop, but they kept on their way—throwing the camera at their pursuer. He followed them until the Tulare Police arrived, when he requested a citizen’s arrest.

Salas and Pina were taken into custody and charged with petty theft.