Monday, November 22, 1999

Charges are expected against two Radio Shack employees at a store in OakPark Mall, Austin.

According to an Austin Police Department report, a Radio Shack loss prevention manager visited the store recently to conduct an audit. When items were discovered missing from the store’s inventory, two employees were questioned.

Both employees admitted their participation in the thefts.

A male juvenile store clerk, age 17 of Austin, admitted taking merchandise, totaling an estimated $2,000 value.

Melissa Placek, 18, of Austin, admitted holding a store door open while the male juvenile took the items from the store to his vehicle.

The pair also admitted their participation in the thefts when questioned by Austin police.

The male juvenile is alleged to have taken such items as a radar detector, cellular telephone and television stereo amplifier.

The thefts apparently occurred only two weeks ago. The male employee was hired four weeks ago, according to the police report.

Neither the juvenile nor the adult female have yet been charged, according to police, who forwarded the information to the Mower County Attorney.