Wilkes-barre police vehicle parked outside.
Wilkes-Barre police cruiser-file photo

Retail Theft and Drug Possession Incident Reported in Wilkes-Barre

October 9, 2024

WILKES-BARRE, PA – On Tuesday, authorities responded to an incident involving retail theft and possession of a controlled substance at 15 South Main Street, Wilkes-Barre. Officers were dispatched at 5:43 PM after receiving a report from Loss Prevention Personnel regarding suspicious activity observed on CCTV.

The individual involved, identified as Erin McLaughlin, 46, from Harveys Lake, PA, was allegedly seen cutting the security sensor tag off a jacket and placing it in her shopping cart. Following this observation, police arrived at the scene and detained the suspect without any reported resistance.

Subsequent to her arrest, police conducted a search, during which they discovered suspected narcotics and drug paraphernalia in McLaughlin’s purse. This development led to her being transported to City Headquarters for further processing.

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