Illegals caught shoplifting, they throught it was a joke until they heard ice was coming to the jail for them.
Upon arriving at the scene, an Indian River County deputy, working alongside Walmart loss prevention staff, intercepted three women near the store's exit. For safety reasons, the deputy ordered the women to sit against the exterior wall to conduct an immediate weapons check. During this initial contact, loss prevention employees pointed out recovered merchandise, including specific bags and sunglasses, confirming the items belonged to the store.
The three suspects were escorted to Walmart's internal loss prevention office for further questioning. When asked to produce identification, all three women claimed they had no legal ID, passports, or documentation of any kind on them.
Through a heavy language barrier, the women stated they were from Romania. When the deputy attempted to gather standard booking information, the details were scarce:
One suspect claimed to be 25 years old.
Another suspect claimed to be a 15-year-old juvenile.
When pressed for the correct spelling of their names, the women claimed they did not know how to spell them and spoke very little English.
Throughout the interrogation, the women continuously denied stealing, insisting that the bags and items were their personal property. However, Walmart loss prevention staff flatly contradicted their stories. Asset protection confirmed they had watched the suspects actively concealing high-value store merchandise—specifically multiple pairs of sunglasses—directly into the bags.
The Indian River County deputy placed the women under arrest for retail theft. They were informed they would be transported to the Indian River County Jail for formal booking and fingerprinting to establish their true legal identities.
Because the suspects lacked legal identification and documentation, the deputy explicitly noted that a Border Patrol detainer (ICE hold) would be placed on them. This federal detainer ensures that even if the suspects attempt to post bond on the local theft charges, they will remain locked down in custody and turned over to federal immigration authorities for verification and potential deportation proceedings. All their joking and laughing stopped instantly once they heard those words.
Whether it's by foot, by car, by boat, or by air. There are some wild police interactions that go down that lead into a pursuit. In the end the long arm of the law always wins.