Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
OGDEN — A woman is facing legal trouble after she allegedly sold items online and then shoplifted to meet demand.
Police said Amanda Barnes accrued tens of thousands of dollars by posting new items on online classified sites at half the price of retail. Once a person showed interest in an item, Barnes would supposedly go shoplift the item.
"If somebody stopped her, she would say she didn't have her receipt because she hadn't paid for it yet, she was just going out to get her purse," said Odgen police deputy John Harvey.
Barnes is accused of stealing top-of-the-line items such as grills and tools from big retail stores like Home Depot and Lowes.
In one online ad, she said a grill had to "sell immediately, because of a recent separation".
"She was taking orders and then filling them as she got them," said Harvey.
Police said as Barnes got calls from interested buyers she would go to a retail store and walk out with the item.
If somebody stopped her, she would say she didn't have her receipt because she hadn't paid for it yet, she was just going out to get her purse,
–John Harvey, Ogden Police
According to Harvey, thieves usually steal items first and then try to trade them for money or drugs. This situation, he remarked, was unique.
According to arrest affidavits, Barnes had done this several times. In one case she allegedly stole two $600 workbenches and pawned them at local second-hand dealers.
Police say as the pawn shops got suspicious, Barnes turned to the internet.
Now detectives are hoping people who bought one of Barnes' items will come forward and help police continue their case.
