Honk News (Flagler County, FL) – A woman in Florida has been arrested for theft at a Dollar General and for assaulting a pregnant woman, according to local authorities.
Maria Gritsaev, 34, faces charges of aggravated battery against a pregnant victim and petit theft by shoplifting, as reported by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Jail records.
According to investigators, the event took place in early January. The individual in question was taken into custody on Thursday.
On January 2, law enforcement reached out to the community for assistance in identifying the individual involved. Authorities reported that the event took place at a retail location on Market Avenue at approximately 10:30 a.m. that day in Palm Coast, a city of moderate size located about 30 miles north of Daytona Beach.
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The individual in question is reported to be a Caucasian female, seemingly in her late 40s. At that moment, she donned a hat and scarf in soft hues. Authorities observed that she had long blonde hair, leading them to speculate that it could potentially be a wig. A woman of interest reportedly fled the crime scene on a silver mountain bike.
Authorities released a hazy image of the suspected individual captured from an aerial view as they sought the public’s assistance. Ultimately, it was this level of involvement that propelled the case ahead.
“Here’s proof that just because the photo is bad doesn’t mean we can’t overcome it,” the sheriff’s office said in an Instagram post after an arrest was made. The post goes on to credit the defendant’s arrest to “an eagle-eyed social media user.”
A Dollar General employee, who is eight months pregnant, reported to law enforcement that Gritsaev “stole a lighter and pushed her,” as stated in a charging affidavit acquired by Law&Crime. The employee noted that the defendant is said to visit the store regularly.
“[The store employee] stated that the female (suspect) did not have enough money to purchase the lighter, which costs approximately $2.00,” the court document reads. “[The employee] advised that when the suspect attempted to walk out of the store with the lighter without paying for it, she stood in front of her. [The employee] advised that the suspect then grabbed her and then pushed her out of the way.”
The accused acknowledged her presence in the store on that day but refuted the events involving the lighter.
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“Maria advised she was at the Dollar General and paid for the lighter,” the affidavit goes on. “Maria advised that a female employee [redacted] stood in front of her at the entrance. Maria further advised that she did not push anyone. Maria further advised that she was able to leave the store after getting around the female employee [redacted] and left the area because she did not want to be involved in any confrontation.”
The individual is currently held at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility with a total bond set at $6,000.