Five charged after Southlake Mall shoplifting scheme ends with security guards punched, police chase on I-65
Hobart IN Feb 29 2020
An alleged five-person shoplifting scheme at Southlake Mall ended with two security guards punched and a police chase on Interstate 65, according to charges filed Tuesday.
Desean Thomas, Ramone Bradley, Kali Branchcomb, Alontae London and Akalynn Upshaw, all from Chicago, face six charges each in Lake Superior Court from the Feb. 23 mall incident.
At Macy’s that afternoon, Bradley, London, Thomas and Upshaw spread out in different directions, attempting to throw off store security, charges state. Upshaw was the lookout, telling them what to do, while the other three started “grabbing” merchandise in security video, charges state.
They then met past the cash registers, when Thomas called Branchcomb to pick them up, documents allege.
London punched a security guard in the face who tried stopping them from leaving, charges say. The guard was punched several more times in the head, face and body, he later told police. Thomas punched a second guard who tried to help in the head with “closed fists,” charges state.
Thomas, Upshaw’s boyfriend, took the wheel, before they sped off in a silver Subaru, police said. They headed east on U.S. 30, before making a U-turn toward the I-65 interchange, charges state.
Running into traffic on U.S. 30 near Mississippi Street, Thomas hit two cars to push them out of the way, nearly hitting a Hobart police officer standing outside his police car, before jumping on northbound I-65 north while throwing stolen items out the window, charges allege.
Police threw down “stop sticks” near the I-65 and Interstate 80/94 interchange. The now westbound Subaru drove over it, before both left tires went flat near the Broadway exit, the SUV flipped and landed on its roof, police wrote. All five were arrested and taken to St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart for evaluation, charges state.
All five have bonds set at $10,000 cash surety each.
Hearings before Lake Superior Judge Clarence Murray are scheduled March 6 for Thomas, London and Upshaw. Bradley’s next hearing date is Monday.
Branchcomb is not in custody. An arrest warrant was issued Tuesday, online records show.
