Cops: Woman Fights With Security, Caught With $518 Worth Of Stolen Merchandise

Middletown police have charged a woman after a fight allegedly ensued after she was caught stealing merchandise from Oxford Valley Mall.

Ashley Erkan, 25, of Langhorne, was arrested and charged with felony grade robbery, receiving stolen property, retail theft, possession, disorderly conduct, and harassment.

Court documents state that on March 28, Middletown officers responded to the Macy’s department store within the Oxford Valley Mall and met with a store security manager. The manager informed police that she had apprehended a woman – later identified as Erkan – for retail theft.

The store’s security manager told police that she had observed Erkan in the junior’s department of the Macy’s selecting merchandise and then concealing them under a jacket that she had tried on. Erkan then walked to the store’s shoe department, selected a pair of boots, put them on, and then placed her own shoes back in the box and returned the box to the shelf. Erkan reportedly passed all points of sale without making an effort to pay for the items, according to a probable cause affidavit.

The store’s security manager then approached Erkan and identified herself before Erkan struck the manager with a closed fist. The manager and Erkan struggled with one another until further assistance was garnered from mall security, police said.

Court records indicate that Erkan was returned to the store’s security office where she was found with $518.41 worth of stolen merchandise.

Erkan informed Middletown officers that she had hypodermic needles on her person upon arrival. A small cap with drug residue was also uncovered.

Erkan was released on $20,000 unsecured bail.

Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.