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Crime & Safety

Grocery Thief Caught Red-Handed, Faces $10K in Fines

The Sussex woman stole more than $350 in groceries from the Brookfield Metro Market, telling police she tried to take the food because she was having money problems.

A Sussex woman is facing charges that allege she tried to steal more than $300 in groceries from a Brookfield supermarket.

Ashley N. Hoffmann, 23, was charged in Monday with one count of retail theft. If convicted, she faces up to nine months in prison and $10,000 in fines.

According to the criminal complaint:

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At 10:20 a.m. Saturday, employees at spotted Hoffmann trying to conceal merchandise and take and steal it from the store. While she was loading the items into her van in the parking lot, she was approached and asked to show a receipt, but Hoffmann said she didn’t have time and took off.

She was stopped a short time later by a Wisconsin State Trooper on Capitol Drive.

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Hoffmann had $355 worth of stolen goods in the car and admitted to the theft, saying she is having money problems and needed food. She said she chose Metro Market because it was further from her Sussex home.

Hoffmann was assigned $50 bail while awaiting trial.

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