Two people from Smithville were arrested in Cookeville, Saturday afternoon, on felony shoplifting charges. The Cookeville Herald Citizen reports that 60 year old Charlene Poss, and her daughter, 24 year old Terry Lynn Poss, both of Poss Road in Smithville were taken into custody by Cookeville police after they allegedly stuffed two large purses full of items from Kohl’s department store on West Jackson Street in Cookeville. The two allegedly removed the store tags from the items, which included clothing, jewelry and other items. The items removed from the store had a total estimated value of $1,139.
Cookeville Police officers Donna Revis and Jeremy Lintz were dispatched to the store to investigate, and the store security officer told the officers that he had confronted Terry Lynn Poss, while Charlene Poss was still in the store dressing room. According to the police report obtained by the Herald-Citizen, the daughter knocked on the dressing room door and told her mother to “come out, we’re in trouble.”
The security officer told the officers the two entered the store carrying large handbags that looked empty, and that because of that, they were observed by video while they shopped. The report stated the two women’s purses appeared flat and empty as they were observed going into the dressing rooms, but Terry Lynn Poss’ purse appeared full upon leaving the dressing room. At that point, the security officer stopped her and the investigation began.
When police officers conducted their in-store investigation, they found discarded store tags and found that even though the two women were allegedly trying to steal numerous items of clothing, each had several hundred dollars in cash.
Both women taken to a Putnam County jail, and will appear in General Sessions Court there on the charges, August 4th.
Archived News & Obituaries