Magnolia police arrested a woman who allegedly filed a false report of an armed robbery at her workplace last week in an attempt to cover up what her employer said was an apparent embezzlement.
Officers on Friday booked 30-year-old Capricia Andrews, 905 N. Cherry St., Magnolia, on a charge of false reporting of a crime.
She was released from the custody of Magnolia police the same day after posting a $500 bond, officer John Glapion said.
Chief of Police Ray Reynolds said Andrews filed the false report while working as a cashier at the Wash Board laundromat, 425 N. Clark Ave.
Reynolds would not elaborate on the details of the incident, but the manager of the business, Lois Hamilton, told the Enterprise-Journal that Andrews called police on Dec. 22 and told officers a man came into the washeteria armed with a knife and demanded money from the register.
Hamilton said Andrews’ story, however, began to change each time she told it.
“She told me one story; she told the owner a different story,” Hamilton said. “So I said, ‘Hey don’t worry about it. I can go up there and look at the tape.’ So, I did, and there was no robbery. I seen the police coming in, and they went right out the back door.”
Hamilton said Andrews filed the false report in an attempt to cover up the money she embezzled from the register, a total amount of $84.10.
“After talking to the owner, I went, ‘Uh-uh. No. I’m going to catch this girl. She’s lying,’” Hamilton said. “And she was.”
Andrews reportedly paid back the money, and the owner agreed not to press embezzlement charges.
Police, however, let the false report charges stand.
