Woman accused of stealing fur coats to support heroin habit

RADNOR, Pa. — A woman is accused of stealing thousands of dollars worth of clothing from a Pennsylvania store after she allegedly pilfered a $3,500 mink coat, WCAU reported.

>> Read more trending news

Police said they caught Tamala Lee Tucker, 55, with six trash bags full of clothing, the television station reported. Tucker allegedly told police she was planning to sell the garments to support her heroin addiction, WCAU reported, citing an arrest affidavit.

Pam Ferber, the manager of the Jacques Ferber Furs boutique in the Philadelphia suburb of Wayne, said two women entered her store Thursday and took some items, WTXF reported.

“I knew my inventory very well and I looked over and a piece was missing," Ferber told the television station. "I did say to (Tucker), ‘You have my coat,’ and that's when they decided to leave.”

According to Radnor Township police Sgt. Dan Lunger, Tucker left the store with the mink coat stuffed under her dress and got into an SUV, WCAU reported.

Ferber followed the women outside and took a photograph of the SUV’s license plate, the television station reported. Police spotted the vehicle and pulled it over, and Ferber identified the women.

Police found 37 different items of clothing in the trash bags, WCAU reported.

"There were several trash bags in the back seat with clothes in them. New clothes, some of which you could see still had the security devices on them," Lunger told WTXF. "Several of the clothing items had the security devices wrapped in tin foil which was defeating the security sensors at the various locations where the clothes were taken from."

"I saw (police) lift the hatch of their vehicle and there were other plastic bags full of things, just like my coat was in a plastic bag." Ferber told WCAU. "(I) realized, 'Wow, they've had a busy day.'"

Tucker told police she had received some of the clothes from a friend in Baltimore, the television station reported.

Police said Tucker's 51-year-old sister and 79-year-old mother, who were also in the SUV at the time of her arrest, have not been charged in the case for now, WTXF reported.

Cox Media Group