Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – July 8, 2024 – According to a Craighead County Sheriff’s Office report, a woman who was visiting the jail was arrested on Sunday.
The report states “It appeared that [Suspect 1] attempted to purchase candy, then using both hands pushed the machine back against the wall, then using a closed fist backhanded the glass of the machine. [Suspect 1] then reached into the open glass and grabbed handfuls of candy and placed them in her pocket. [Suspect 1] also grabbed a couple pieces of the glass and took them to the control pod window and told Cpl. Gibson that the machine had broke. A second female with [Suspect 1], later identified as [Suspect 2], then reached into the same machine and took a couple pieces of candy out and injested them. Then I observed on video both females going to all the vending machines in the lobby attempting to gain free products.”
Deputies requested both [Suspect 1] and [Suspect 2] be removed from their visit so they could be interviewed regarding the incident.
The deputy’s narrative states “I first spoke to [Suspect 1], she stated that the machine took her money because the candy was stuck together. [Suspect 1] said she was only trying to loosen the candy so she could get her money’s worth when the machine broke. I asked her why she took the candy, she said because it took her money, and she was in a hurry to see her son who is an inmate in the Juvenile Detention Center. [Suspect 2] said that she didn’t think it was wrong to take some candy because the machine was broken
The deputy then called the number on the front of the machine to report the outage. His narrative goes on, “I called the phone number that was on a sticker located on the very front of the machine and spoke to the owner of the machine who owns and operates the candy machine for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The money raised is used for research for a cure for blood cancers.”
[Suspect 1] was cited for Criminal Mischief and Theft from a Coin Operated Machine.