Robin Wangler, left, and Cristy Morrow Reed were busted in Nashville, Tennessee, at a mall where authorities say they were on a rampant shoplifting spree; items were found on their person in the vehicle they drove to the location January 8 totaling $3,000. That vehicle was returned to Harrisburg…but sources indicate something interesting happened upon the return.
SALINE CO.—Two women originally from Saline County were busted in Nashville, Tennessee, in early January, but it’s what was alleged to have been found in their vehicle locally that has Harrisburg residents perplexed and wondering just what’s going on in the case.
Cristy Morrow Reed, 45, of Harrisburg, and Robin Wangler, 30, of Eldorado but also of a bolt-hole location in Flint, Michigan (a place, said her acquaintances, to which she runs when she gets in trouble in Saline, which appears to be frequently), were both arrested January 8 at a Nashville mall, and charged with extensive Retail Theft counts from a number of stores in said mall.
Their alleged $3,000 shopping trip came to an abrupt halt when a Dillard’s store security employee alerted police that the two appeared to be stuffing items in shopping bags in that department store.
Responding officers apprehended Reed and Wangler, and subsequently searched the vehicle the two had arrived in.
When they did, they found over three grand worth of clothing and other items from big stores like Express, Victoria’s Secret, TJ Maxx and Buckle.
Defeated tags
They also found items consistent with the practice shoplifters have of “defeating” security tags on garments: Wire cutters and magnets. Authorities didn’t say whether or not they’d located defeated tags in or around the vehicle; ordinarily, people who cut the tags dump them in an unobtrusive location outside a mall or store, or in a trash can immediately accessible before leaving the store if possible.
When questioned, the two advised authorities that they were intent on taking the items back to Saline County and re-selling them for cash. Whether this would have been at a second-hand store, or to private individuals, remains unknown.
What is known is that the two were carted off to the Nashville Metro Jail….especially after police, examining the vehicle the two arrived in, found prescription pills and what they alleged to be drug paraphernalia (a smoking pipe with residue in it, suspected to be meth.)
Vehicle returned containing…?
The vehicle, which as it turned out belonged to Reed’s son Mike Morrow, was impounded in Nashville.
Morrow was allowed to retrieve his vehicle on the day of Reed’s arrest, and it was returned to Harrisburg.
However, on January 16, Disclosure learned from Saline County sources, reports emerged that a Harrisburg cop, Michael Riden, had removed an alleged portable meth lab from that same vehicle, possibly having been reported to him by Reed’s family members.
What was done with that item, if this is actually a valid report, is unknown at this time; Disclosure was unable to confirm it with Harrisburg police authorities as of press time (Jan. 18) and was unsuccessful in attempts to reach Morrow.
Further, Disclosure learned from sources close to Reed that any drug charges she was facing in Tennessee as a result of what was found in the vehicle had been dismissed and conferred to Wangler; only the shoplifting (Retail Theft) charges remained on Reed. Whether those will stand remains up to Tennessee authorities, whom Disclosure was unable to reach due to learning this information on the weekend.
Strange situation all around
Reed is a convicted felon dating back to 2004, but not as it regards dope, but instead merely an Obstruction charge. She has on her Saline County record (as it was available, anyway), charges for violence and other bad conduct, most of which had been dismissed. While her own family members have openly stated in online social networking sites that Reed suffers significantly from meth addiction, there is no record of any criminal conduct regarding meth…which always sends up red flags for those who understand that when a person is that methed-out, there’s usually a nark situation going on. Whether this is the case with Reed, or whether it’s simply that no one in Saline is interested in a low-level user, remains unconfirmed at this time.
What is interesting, however, is Wangler’s involvement, as she has nothing on her Saline record indicating drug issues, only violence (she was the one who beat down an EL Shagwell’s patron in June of 2013, the Aggravated Battery conviction of which she was placed on two years’ probation in October 2013, meaning she’s currently on probation and sitting in the Nashville Metro Jail).
There has been no status hearing set as of yet on any kind of petition to revoke regarding Wangler’s alleged violation, but it’ll likely be just around the corner now with this very high-profile case in Tennessee.