Woman crawls into ceiling of a Big Lots to avoid shoplifting charges

A woman was caught shoplifting by a Big Lots store employee, then attempted to evade the arrest by crawling into the ceiling and hiding, in Port Charlotte.

According to Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, Kristina Perkins, 37, was seen wheeling a shopping cart into the restroom at a Big Lots. A store employee confronted her about it, but was blocked from entering when Perkins barricaded the door with multiple trash cans.

The employee yelled to Perkins that she had been caught, but when she finally gained access to the bathroom, Perkins had crawled out through the ceiling tiles.

 

Deputies arrived and were able to make visual contact with Perkins but were not able to catch her as she kept moving locations within the roof.

Charlotte County Fire & EMS responded for assistance, utilizing their ladders and thermal imaging system. Big Lots was evacuated due to the danger of Perkins falling through the ceiling. Over the course of several hours, a systematic search of the ceiling was completed.

Eventually the search was called off except for one deputy who remained in the store overnight for surveillance.

At 1:40 a.m. Perkins was heard coming down from the roof and climbing down a stack of shelves. The deputy arrested her as soon as she made it to the ground.

During the search through the ceiling deputies found her bag which contained three syringes and a spoon with white residue  that tested positive for morphine.

Perkins is charged with Felony Criminal Mischief, Petit Theft (3rd Offense, Felony), Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Resisting a Merchant, and Resisting Law Enforcement without Violence.