The Roanoke Rapids Police Department reported the following, according to Chief Shane Guyant:
Sunday around 11 p.m. Lieutenant D.A. Newsome and Sergeant S. Langley responded to a business off Julian R. Allsbrook Highway about the theft of merchandise.
A caller said a man later identified as Tajiri Rahimu Lee, 39, was seen pushing a grocery cart with Tide Pods.
The officers located Lee on Cardinal Drive pushing a Food Lion cart with the stolen merchandise.
Lee, of Roanoke Rapids, was confirmed by the officers to be a habitual shoplifter with a conviction record dating back to 2003.
This habitual felon law states that when a defendant has been previously convicted of four or more larceny charges, whether felonies or misdemeanors, they are to be charged with habitual larceny.
Langley charged Lee with felonious habitual larceny and felony possession of stolen property after certain felonies.
Lee was jailed without the opportunity for bond due to a pending charge of obtaining property by false pretense for which he has a July 25 district court date.
According to the state court calendar he was scheduled for a first district court appearance today for Langley’s charges as well as a June 27 district court date.
In addressing the crime, Guyant said, “Some people will haphazardly say that all he stole were some Tide Pods. However, just look at this individual’s criminal record. He is obviously a career criminal. Twenty years of stealing.”
The chief said, “Recent reports show that retail theft costs businesses well over $1 billion dollars. That is with a B. Who do you think ends up having to pay for that? We should not look the other way with any theft. It costs us all money when people steal. Whether it be Tide Pods or a car. It should not matter.”
Provisional licensee DWI
On Saturday around 6 p.m. Officer D.S. Pate was traveling south on Old Farm Road when he noticed a vehicle’s driver traveling north pass him driving extremely slowly and in the middle of both lanes of travel.
Pate noticed the vehicle had a flat tire and conducted a traffic stop. The driver was identified as Ahmya Shadae Green, 20 of Roanoke Rapids.
Green pulled into a parking lot and Pate instantly noticed signs of impairment.
Newsome arrived on scene and performed Standardized Field Sobriety Testing on Green.
This testing confirmed Pate’s suspicion she was impaired.
Green had a suspended license due to a failure to appear for a speeding charge earlier this year.
Green was taken to the police department where a breath sample was requested and provided. The Intoxilyzer instrument registered a .12.
Because Green is less than 21 she is not supposed to register at all.
Green was charged with DWI by a provisional licensee and driving while license revoked.
She was released to a responsible sober party and has a July 19 district court date.
