By Katie Stallcup

Published: March 25, 2008

Law enforcement in Florida are investigating a report of shoplifting in which the suspects are allegedly three affluent Auburn-area women, according to a story in The Northwest Florida Daily News.

According to a Walton County Sheriff’s Office report, deputies responded to Hooch and Holly’s in the community of Seaside just before 1 p.m. March 12.

Three women came into the store, and one bought something at the register, Hooch and Holly’s manager Jennifer Black said.

“The other two were looking around the store,” Black said. “The two picked up straw handbags we sell. One of them kept dropping stuff, so I noticed her right away. I noticed she was dropping jewelry into the bag at the same time.”

Black left the store for a short time, she said. When she came back, she asked another employee if the women purchased the straw bags. The employee told her they hadn’t.

“I noticed the jewelry was gone,” Black said. “When I looked outside, I saw them getting into the vehicle.”

Black said she was able to get a license plate number, which had three letters.

According to the Northwest Daily’s story, the sheriff’s office apprehended the women near the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort Wednesday night after tracing the car tag.

“I identified them off a driver’s license picture lineup,” she said. “After I did that was when they went to the hotel and got the stuff back.”

Black said the women stole “very special” silver and pearl jewelry made in Israel.

“So, it’s easily identifiable,” she said. “They took about three grand of that.”

The women also took pearl strands worth approximately $2,000, Black said. All of the jewelry was returned.

“We are pressing charges,” she said. “It seems like from what I’ve been told, they’ve been looking for these women for about three years. They’ve been coming down here and doing it in other places.”

They appeared to be affluent, she said.

“The median income (in the Seaside area) is $300,000 a year,” Black said. “They blended right in.”

The Walton County Sheriff’s Office could not release the names of the suspected women until after paperwork from the state’s attorney’s office came through, Acting Public Information Officer Capt. Eddie Farris said Monday.

No charges have been filed and won’t be until they receive that paperwork, Farris said.

Farris said he could not confirm the women were from Auburn or if they were suspected of shoplifting at other stores.