51-year-old Deborah Lorraine Hacker was arrested under PC 666, petty theft with priors, having been convicted three or more times of petty theft. Case evidence revealed that Hacker had taken merchandise from a local San Jose Home Depot, located at 1855 Hillsdale Ave.
Hacker is accused of stuffing her purse with copper fittings
Hacker was reportedly seen on the sales floor taking several copper fittings from the plumbing section and then placing them in her purse to conceal them. After walking several aisle ways through the store, she then took a cinder block and walked up to the cashier and purchased it, but she did not take the fittings from her purse to pay for them.
Once she was outside, loss prevention employees approached Hacker and asked her to come back into the store. Hacker was extremely agitated at being detained by employees, and was handcuffed once she was placed in a holding room, as they waited for the San Jose Police to arrive to take her into custody for the theft.
Going through past returns entering Hacker’s name, it was found that she had been returning items throughout the month of September in 2013. On 9/01/2013 Hacker had returned several items for $121.93 and $12.47. Then again on 9/07/2013 Hacker returned items worth $239.33. She had returned to this particular Home Depot, apparently finding it an easy target, stealing and returning items worth more than $800.00 in less than a month’s time. Her home is listed as less than half a mile away down Leigh Avenue, so it was a very convenient place to “do business”.
According to the Home Depot® website, “Returns within 90 days of purchase and with a valid sales receipt will be exchanged, refunded in cash, credited to your account or refunded via The Home Depot store credit”.
Once in custody, SJPD officers asked her about the stolen items she had been located with. Hacker declined to speak with the arresting officer. She was then taken into custody, booked and released. Hacker’s next court appearance has been scheduled for 6/10/2014 at 1:30 PM in Dept 35 in the San Jose Hall of Justice.
