Shoplifting suspects face multiple charges

HAYDEN — A shoplifting report led to the arrest of two Washington individuals on multiple charges early Friday evening.

Kootenai County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a shoplifter at Walmart, 550 W. Honeysuckle Ave. in Hayden, just before 7 p.m.

According to KCSO, Walmart loss prevention reported to KCSO that a male inside the store was concealing merchandise in his backpack. As deputies began to monitor the suspect, the suspect pushed a cart out the door with more than $1,000 worth of stolen items directly to waiting deputies.

After originally receiving a fake name, deputies identified the suspect as Lorce G. Price, 35, of Spokane. While interviewing Price, a KCSO sergeant located an accomplice in the parking lot. Deputies identified the accomplice as Marlene L. Pfeiffer, 27, of Moses Lake.

While deputies were speaking with Pfeiffer, they observed she was wearing a coat with department store price tags still on it. They also observed more merchandise in the car with tags and security devices still attached. Also observed in plain view was drug paraphernalia. A KCSO K9 arrived and alerted to the presence of drug odor on the outside of the car.

Deputies linked the two suspects to multiple recent store burglaries in the Coeur d’Alene and Hayden area. Multiple suspected stolen driver's licenses and suspected stolen credit cards were located in the car. Deputies also located a large amount of stolen merchandise with theft prevention devices still attached from multiple stores, tools used to defeat theft prevention devices and methamphetamine.

Deputies arrested Price for several counts of burglary, grand theft, possession of stolen property, removing a theft detection device, possession of burglary tools and providing false information to a peace officer.

Pfeiffer was arrested for possession of stolen property, possession of methamphetamine, possession of burglary tools, removing a theft detection device and possession of paraphernalia. Additional charges are expected as more victims are identified and earlier theft reports from Walmart are reviewed.