Women Accused of Stealing Clothes From Mall

Two Essex County women were found shoplifting shirts, shorts, dresses and other garments from a Willowbrook Mall store Wednesday, said.

Rosa Valacruz, 54, of Newark, and Marisol Castro, 54, of Bloomfield, were detained by a JC Penney loss prevention officer for shoplifting, according to a police incident report.

Officer Jason Philippi responded to the scene and transported the women back to police headquarters, the report said.

While at headquarters, Philippi asked the women if they were U.S. citizens, the report said. The women told police they are not citizens, according to the report.

According to the report, Sgt. Chris Wittig spoke with Chris Desentis, a deportation officer, who advised police that his office would follow up with the prosecutor on the women’s scheduled court date of Aug. 2.

Each woman was issued a summons for shoplifting and released, the incident report said.

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