13 people from Atlantic and Cape May Counties have been indicted on charges they conspired in a shoplifting ring that stole more than $100,000 worth of clothing from Marshalls and TJ Maxx stores in South Jersey.

27-year-old Alicia Blackburne and 29-year-old Robert Campbell, both of Galloway, were charged as alleged leaders of the shoplifting ring. The charges stem from an investigation by the New Jersey State Police working in connection with TJX Corporation's loss prevention investigators, who had been tracking the activities of the ring.

The group allegedly targeted Marshalls and TJ Maxx stores across South Jersey between the summers of 2014 and 2015. The thefts followed a consistent pattern in which Campbell allegedly drove Blackburne to a store and she would enter with a large shoulder bag. Blackburne allegedly placed high-end designer women’s clothing into the bag, take them to a bathroom, and remove the security devices. The State then says she would leave the store with the stolen items and hand them off to a co-conspirator who then returned the stolen items without a receipt. Without a receipt, the members of the ring received gift cards, which were then pawned at pawn shops for half of the face value in cash. All told, the ring stole approximately $102,000 from the targeted stores using this method.

The eleven other people who face charges as part of the ring are:

  • Courtney L. Perkins, 21, of Mays Landing
  • Amanda A. Rivera, 29, of Cape May Court House
  • Julias A. Williams, 57, of Cape May Court House
  • Megan A. Flinn, 20, of Galloway
  • Benett L. Bollinger, 35, of Smithville
  • Jennifer Distefano, 28, of Smithville
  • William H. Lowe, 31, of Cape May Court House
  • Edward J. Vanaman, 26, of Cape May Court House
  • Priscilla E. Laboy, 20, of Petersburg
  • Dylan A. Gallo, 21, of Villas
  • Ashley P. Blackburne, 20, of Cape May Court House

The indictment was handed up to Superior Court Judge Robert Billmeier in Mercer County, who assigned the case to Atlantic County, where the defendants will be ordered to appear in court for arraignment at a later date.

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