Three women from Miami are accused of treating Treasure Coast Publix aisles like their personal warehouse this week, after Martin County deputies say they stole hundreds of cans of baby formula from multiple stores and were later stopped on I-95 with the goods packed into their vehicle. Investigators say the thefts happened Tuesday at a Publix along Southeast Federal Highway, and store employees reported more than $1,400 in confirmed losses across two locations. The women were taken into custody and now face felony retail theft charges while deputies keep digging into the case.
How deputies say the thefts unfolded
According to CBS12, surveillance video shows a black Nissan Kicks pull up to the first Publix with its hazard lights blinking as three women head straight for the baby formula aisle. Deputies say they loaded large shoulder bags with cans of Similac, Enfamil and Nutramigen, then walked out without paying. Employees at that store reported nearly $800 in formula gone, and investigators say a second Publix a few miles away tallied about $700 in losses. Law enforcement agencies were alerted with descriptions of the SUV and the suspects, and a Florida Highway Patrol trooper ultimately stopped the Nissan on Interstate 95 near Hypoluxo Road.
Not an isolated problem on the Treasure Coast
Deputies say this traffic stop fits into a growing pattern across the Treasure Coast. In January, Martin County deputies recovered roughly 160 cans of baby formula, worth about $8,000, after arresting two women in a separate case, WPBF reported. Sheriff John Budensiek has cautioned local retailers that baby formula is increasingly attractive to thieves because it can be flipped quickly for cash.
Who was arrested and what they’re accused of
CBS12 identified the three suspects as 18-year-old Amoni Pettway, an unnamed 15-year-old girl and 18-year-old Tanajiah Mason. All three were booked on charges of retail theft over $750 involving multiple thefts, according to the sheriff’s office. One of the women allegedly told deputies the group planned to sell the stolen formula, claiming they made “about $1,000 for every 100 cans,” and investigators say the trio carried out similar thefts several times a week. Deputies say 262 cans were seized in this case, and they are still working to match all of them to specific stores.
Legal implications…