Friday, February 19, 2010

Hailey woman charged with grocery theft

Suspect previously convicted on similar charge

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By TERRY SMITH
Express Staff Writer

A 57-year-old Hailey woman has been charged with petit theft for allegedly trying to steal a cartload of groceries from Atkinsons' Market in Hailey.

Hailey police reported Wednesday that Kimberlee Boyett was not arrested but was issued a misdemeanor citation on Feb. 8 charging her with the crime. She has until March 10 to appear on the charge in Blaine County Magistrate Court.

Police allege that Boyett attempted the theft at Atkinsons' about 2:30 p.m. on Jan. 18. Police Chief Jeff Gunter said Atkinsons' employees became suspicious of Boyett because she was allegedly placing grocery items in green Atkinsons' plastic bags after taking them off the shelves. She then, the police chief said, "attempted to leave the store without going through the checkout stand."

Gunter said the value of the groceries in the cart totaled $135.12.

The alleged crime was initially investigated as attempted burglary but the Blaine County Prosecuting Attorney's Office declined to charge Boyett with a felony.

In an earlier case, Boyett was convicted of misdemeanor petit theft in 2009 for wheeling a cartload of merchandise out of Albertson's grocery store in Hailey on Dec. 1, 2008. According to Blaine County court records, Boyett pleaded guilty to that charge on April 20, 2009, and was sentenced to five days in jail and placed on 18 months probation.

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Terry Smith: tsmith@mtexpress.com