Woman's arrest follows 39 others

A 43-year-old Milwaukee woman with a history of 39 arrests saw her criminal record grow longer Dec. 23 when she was accused of shoplifting from Mayfair Mall and refusing to cooperate with police.

According to the Wauwatosa police report:

Employees at The Buckle overheard the sound of sensors popping off clothing in a fitting room about 7 p.m. The customer left without paying for a pair of jeans, so a saleswoman followed her.

Police arrived and the woman gave false identifying information. They checked out her three large shopping bags and found $415 worth of merchandise taken from mall shops. She also had a crack pipe and spoon with cocaine residue, so she was arrested for retail theft, possession of stolen property, resisting arrest and possession of drug paraphernalia.

She fought against entering a squad car and started screaming suicidal threats. Eventually, Wauwatosa paramedics took her to Froedtert Hospital because she had a panic attack. She had to be restrained and admitted for a mental health evaluation.

Her criminal record includes arrests for theft, resisting arrest and prostitution. The district attorney was expected to review the case and seek charges of habitual criminality.