Robbery Suspect Arrested In Valley

A 42-year-old Spokane woman was arrested Saturday for robbery with her three daughters at Target.

Sheriff’s deputies arrested Vicki E. Palanvik, 3012 E. Everett, for second-degree robbery at the E. Sprague Target store.

Store security officers called police about 5:30 p.m. to report that a shoplifting suspect had begun pushing, hitting and scratching them.

The suspect had been shopping with her three daughters, age 5, 8 and 12, and another adult female, sheriff’s deputies said.

The store security officers told deputies they had watched a group of women and children place clothes, sunglasses, makeup, hair products, pop, bubble gum, candy and other items into a 32-gallon trash can in a shopping cart, quickly closing the lid after each item.

Security officers also saw the suspects place merchandise into a Target sack. The group then left the store, with one of the children pushing the cart, officers said.

When security officers stopped the group, one of the suspects yelled “Run!” and the girls and one woman escaped by running east on Sprague Avenue, according to deputy reports.

The remaining suspect struggled with the security officers, scratching one of them on the arm, deputies said. Security officers handcuffed her and waited for deputies.

Shoplifting becomes robbery when physical force is used. Officers recovered $580 worth of merchandise in the cart.

The second adult suspect has not been located, deputies said.