Alleged shoplifter threatens workers with pellet gun; charged with robbery
A Hot Springs woman reportedly trying to shoplift from a local hardware store Friday night was soon facing a felony charge after she allegedly threatened employees with what later turned out to be a pellet gun.
Lila Alvarez Oseguera, 39, who lists a Disney Street address, was taken into custody around 8:45 p.m. and charged with aggravated robbery, punishable by up to life in prison, and a misdemeanor count of theft of property, punishable by up to one year in jail.
Oseguera was being held on $10,000 bond and was set to appear Monday in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, shortly before 6 p.m. Friday, an employee at Atwood’s, 2004 Albert Pike, reported that a woman was seen attempting to steal multiple items from the store, including a mop, two buckets, a broom and dust pan, with an approximate value of $71.
She reportedly passed all points of sale and was attempting to exit the store when employees verbally confronted her in the foyer. She dropped all the merchandise in the foyer and went to the parking lot where one male employee confronted her again.
At that point, the woman displayed a black handgun, pointing it at the employee while covering the tip of the gun with her hand. Then she finally threw the gun at the employee and left the parking lot in a gray Isuzu Trooper, but not before the employee got the license plate number.
The gun was found to be an Airsoft brand plastic pellet gun with an orange tip.
Shortly after 8:30 p.m., Hot Springs police officer Taylor Werst spotted the Trooper and made a traffic stop at Hick’s Circle and Albert Pike. The driver was identified as Oseguera and the Atwood’s employee was brought to the scene and reportedly identified her as the woman from the earlier robbery.