MARY ESTHER - A woman who was seen hiding merchandise in her purse also faces a drug charge after an Okaloosa County Sheriff's deputy found pills that weren't hers in her purse.
On Jan. 2 the deputy responded to Santa Rosa Mall about an alleged shoplifting. A security guard said he was following two women, and one of them had items concealed in her purse.
The deputy stopped the women and received permission to search their purses. One woman had no stolen items, but the other had several items of clothing. Before the deputy could ask her about the items, the woman said some of the items were from Spencer's. She admitted stealing them.
Also in her purse was a garment with a Dillard's tag.
She also had a prescription bottle in her purse, but the name on the bottle was not hers. Inside were three pills, later identified as alprazolam.
Employees of both stores said they saw the women acting suspiciously, and the stores were missing items.
The items taken from Dillard's totaled $265. The Spencer's items amounted to $169.94.
The woman, identified as Melissa Gail Vanherwaarden of Mary Esther, was charged with petit theft and possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. Her court date is Feb. 26.