Woman prosecutors say reported own car stolen after retail theft incident pleads not guilty

Vegas Jones



WAUWATOSA -- A woman suspected of stealing who walked into a Milwaukee police station to make a report about her own property being stolen was in court Wednesday, Aug. 14 for her preliminary hearing, where she pleaded not guilty.

Vegas Jones, 23, faces the following charges:


    Jones on Wednesday waived her preliminary hearing and entered the not guilty plea. A scheduling conference was set for Sept. 5.

    About six hours before her arrest, at the Macy's store inside Mayfair Mall, court documents said an employee spotted a woman putting clothes in a shopping bag -- walking out of the store without paying.

    Outside, the employee -- according to a criminal complaint -- was "punched in the face" and bitten in the arm by the woman. During the scuffle, the woman lost a hat and sandal before hopping in a car and taking off.



    Minutes later, police spotted the 2016 blue Honda Accord and pulled it over near Mayfair and Congress. When police got out, the vehicle pulled away, leading to a short pursuit during rush hour -- reaching speeds of 80 miles per hour and upwards of 100 miles per hour once on the freeway.

    With the vehicle weaving in and out of traffic, police called off the pursuit, but later brought a picture of the woman from Macy's surveillance cameras to a Milwaukee address registered to the Honda. That's where, court records showed, the woman's grandmother identified the woman as her granddaughter, Vegas Jones.

    Shortly before midnight, Jones walked into MPD's District 3 headquarters and tried to report her car stolen. Instead, she was arrested.