Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Brittany Marie Lopez, 36, was taken into custody yesterday after a Target employee informed a police officer that her frequent shoplifting was becoming “excessive.” More charges are anticipated.

On March 18, a Gainesville Police Department Detective was approached by a Target Loss Prevention Officer (LPO) regarding Lopez, noting that she had visited the store nine times over the last month. According to the LPO, Lopez repeatedly fills a cart with items and heads to a self-checkout lane, where she scans just a few inexpensive products, pays for them, and leaves the store with more expensive merchandise that she hasn’t paid for.

The LPO reported that this pattern of behavior has been a “systematic, ongoing occurrence” since November 2024. However, earlier surveillance footage wasn’t preserved, prompting employees to review recent incidents to gather the necessary evidence.

On March 17, for example, an employee working at the self-checkout registers reported that a customer was acting suspiciously; an LPO immediately recognized the woman as a “repeat thief” but was unable to act before she left the store. Surveillance video showed the woman pushing the cart toward a nearby apartment complex.

However, the suspect used a credit or debit card each time to pay for a few low-priced items, and the LPO was able to check the name on the card, leading to the identification of Lopez. Comparison of store video with Lopez’s driver’s license photo confirmed her identity.

The LPO told the detective they had evidence for nine cases and possibly three more in the 30 days before March 18.

On May 5, the Target LPO saw Lopez in the store and followed her as she selected a shopping cart of merchandise; when she went to the self-checkout register, the LPO went to the loss prevention office and reportedly watched her scanning two small bottles of hand sanitizer before removing the other items (valued at $198.43) from the shopping cart and bagging them without scanning them. Lopez then allegedly paid for the hand sanitizer and walked out of the front doors, where she was stopped by the LPO. She was reportedly cooperative and went to the loss prevention office with the LPO.

Post Miranda, Lopez reportedly said she was having financial issues and was staying in an extended stay hotel with rent that takes most of her paycheck.

Lopez has been charged with two counts of petit theft and a felony charge of engaging in a scheme to defraud, but the detective noted that charges for at least eight more incidents are forthcoming. Lopez has one felony conviction for grand theft from 2017. Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $45,000.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.