ROCKLAND, Maine — A 49-year-old Hope woman remains at the Knox County Jail after she was arrested allegedly swapping price tags on a purse at a consignment shop.
Traci L. Cultrera was arrested Friday by Rockland police for theft by deception and violating a condition of release. The theft charge was elevated to felony level because she had two prior theft convictions from September 2007 and May 2015.
According to an affidavit filed by the police in Knox County Unified Court, Lil Sweet Pease, a consignment shop in Rockland, contacted police to report that a review of its surveillance camera from Dec. 16 showed a woman removing the price tag from a purse and replacing it with one that was for a lesser amount. She then purchased the purse at that lower price.
Rockland police posted a still photo from the video on its Facebook page, which showed the woman. Within an hour, police received tips that led to Cultrera. Police contacted her and she admitted to the theft, according to the affidavit. The woman claimed she had been diagnosed with a disorder that causes her to shoplift, according to the police affidavit.
She was arrested Friday and made her initial appearance in court Monday afternoon. Assistant District Attorney Christopher Fernald said Cultrera was being held on a probation hold at the order of her probation officer. She is scheduled to remain in jail until a hearing is held to determine whether to revoke probation.