Ron Welch
Muskingum County Prosecutor
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, January 25, 2024
New Lexington retail thief sentenced for burglary, theft
Sarah Steen, 35, of New Lexington was sentenced in Muskingum County Common Pleas Court, receiving jail time for repeated retail theft and trespassing at a local retail store.
Steen was caught stealing shoes at a local store in 2019 and banned from the store, but returned to steal again in 2023. She was charged with and found guilty of burglary and theft.
Common Pleas Judge Kelly Cottrill sentenced Steen to five years in prison on January 22.
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Gerald Anderson says retail theft affects everyone in the community.
“We have seen an increase in retail theft cases, where criminals think that they will only get a slap on the wrists,” Anderson said. “Thefts from businesses result in higher prices for the shoppers that pay for their items.”
Anderson says he hopes holding store thieves accountable for their crimes will discourage other would-be criminals from committing similar offenses.
“Sarah Steen had been caught stealing multiple times for retail theft, and was placed on the trespass list for all Wal-Marts in the United State and Canada back in 2019. In this case, she went in like she always does, stole the same items that she stole the last time, and acted offended when confronted by the loss prevention officer. Hopefully Ms. Steen's sentence will send a message to other retail thieves that they will be held fully accountable for their crimes.”
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