Outlet Mall Theft Suspects Get Hearings

Three Suffolk women suspected in connection with organized retail theft from two stores in the Leesburg Premium Outlet mall were scheduled to appear in Loudoun County District Court on Monday. Two didn’t show up.

The night of Jan. 15, Leesburg Police officers were called to the Polo Ralph Lauren store at the outlet mall for a report that three people removed merchandise without paying. While investigating this incident, the department received a call from an employee at the Dick’s Sporting Goods, reporting that three individuals there were concealing items.

Natesha L. Cheeks, 29, Tanajah S. Harrell, 26, and Shakira V. Mizzelle, 23 were arrested there, and investigators found more than $8,000 worth of merchandise in their vehicle.

They were charged with two felony counts of larceny, two counts of felony possession of burglarious tools, conspiracy to commit larceny and larceny with the intent to sell/distribute.

Cheeks and Mizzelle failed to appear in court Monday for their preliminary hearing. The judge issued an arrest warrant for both.

Harrell, who facing additional charges, was being held in custody.

A criminal complaint alleges that Harrell provided law enforcement with a false identity of her sister. According to that complaint, a search warrant conducted on Jan. 16 led officers to find a bag containing 37 rounds of ammunition and multiple traffic citations issued to Harrell’s sister. The complaint also alleges that the three admitted to driving in the same vehicle to Leesburg on Jan. 15.

Harrell was charged with possession of ammunition by a convicted felon as well as three counts of providing false identification to law enforcement, two felony counts of identity theft, and obtaining an ID in order to avoid arrest, and one count of identity theft resulting in financial losses under $1,000.

Her case was certified to the grand jury for review.