A Caledonia woman must have felt the force was strong with her before attempting this theft.
Latoya M. Martin, 30, was charged in Racine County Circuit Court Monday with one count of receiving stolen property after police say she stole 139 Star Wars collectible figurines from one of her neighbor’s storage lockers at an area apartment complex. If convicted, she faces up to nine months in prison and $10,000 in fines.
According to the criminal complaint:
On Feb. 23, Caledonia police officers were called to the Lakeshore Village Apartments in the 400 block of 3 Mile Road where they met with the complex’s maintenance manager. The man said he was in the suspect’s apartment to fix a thermostat she had ripped off the wall when he spotted four totes full of Star Wars figurines in their original packaging.
He told the police that he asked Martin’s roommate about the totes and she said the items were obtained from someone who works at Game Stop. However, another resident had reported having his storage locker broken into days earlier and some of the items taken included the figurines.
Searching the storage area, police found items taken from one locker and placed in another, the locks for those two items were placed in a black duffel bag underneath the stairs and a keyboard was partially submerged in water after it was placed in the sump pump.
Martin’s roommate told police that Martin had been taking random objects from their apartment and placing them outside, which made her concerned for her mental health. She took her to a hospital, but Martin refused treatment and instead went to her mother’s home.
Martin originally told her she got the Star Wars figures from a person at Game Stop. However, after discovering they were stolen she confronted Martin again, who said she didn't take them; but said she planned to sell them to Game Stop.
The stolen items were valued at $2,263.
Martin in currently being held in Racine County Jail on a $500 signature bond.
