The Vodka & Bacon Bandit Caught in the Act of Stealing
“A woman was arrested for repeatedly stealing bacon and vodka.
Some food pairings are classics—peanut butter and jelly, chips and salsa … Tito’s Vodka and Oscar Mayer Thick-Cut Bacon? That one might not make the chef’s recommendation list, but to each their own.
On June 4, Roseville Police Officers responded to a theft in progress at a Bel Air grocery store. The suspect, 39-year-old Shanae Watkins, had allegedly concealed six handles of Tito’s Vodka and at least 14 packages of thick-cut bacon in her shoulder bag.
Watkins then attempted to pay for a few unrelated items at the self-checkout. It’s a common tactic for thieves to purchase some items in hopes of distracting employees from the ones being stolen—a well-used trick in the retail world. In this case, her card was declined, and Bel Air’s loss prevention team had already spotted the vodka-and-bacon stash hidden in her bag. When confronted, she became confrontational and left the store with the stolen goods.
But the story doesn’t end there.
Watkins then drove to a Safeway in Roseville, where she allegedly repeated the same shopping strategy—this time leaving with six more bottles of Tito’s Vodka, five packages of bacon, and six reusable bags. Fortunately, Safeway staff recognized her from prior incidents and contacted Roseville Police quickly. Our officers, who were still investigating the first theft, connected the two cases, waited for Watkins to exit the store, and took her into custody.
In California, thefts under $950 are typically considered petty theft. However, under Penal Code 666.1 (Petty Theft with Priors), individuals with two prior theft convictions can face felony charges regardless of the dollar amount. Watkins was arrested for two counts of 666.1 PC and one count of Possession of Stolen Property (496 PC) and booked into the South Placer County Jail.
A big thank you to our loss prevention partners for their quick work and vigilance. Thanks to them, we’ve put an end to this particular vodka-and-bacon spree in Roseville.
This case shows that crime in Roseville—big or small—receives the attention, dedication, and thoroughness of our officers every single day.”
Originally posted by the Roseville Police Department.
