Women wanted for theft, pepper spray attack at Lakeland store

LAKELAND, Fla. (FOX 13) - Lakeland police are trying to track down two women they believe stole from a business and then pepper-sprayed the employees.

It happened Aug. 10 at Citi Trends in Market Square Plaza.

Surveillance pictures show clearly the suspects' faces. Police hope those pictures help them seal the deal in the case.

Police say they filled two shopping cars with merchandise from Citi Trends and left without paying.

As they were putting the stolen items in their car, they apparently noticed the store employees were checking out the car and license plate number.

So police say they came back into the store, confronted the employees, start throwing punches and pepper-sprayed the workers.

Police say the two women drove off in a white Nissan, four-door car with noticeable rear end damage.

The suspects were described as black females in their mid-twenties, between 5'3" and 5'6," weighing between 130 and 170 pounds.

An employee at a nearby business said she can't believe anyone would do something like that.

"Why would do something like that to somebody? You stole from them, so why would you pepper-spray the person?" a nail salon employee said.

Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call Det. Laura Robertson at 863-834-6974.