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ELKINS -- A Randolph County woman is facing felony charges after allegedly stealing from two local stores and taking another person’s cell phone.
Niketa Elaine Lynn Lanham, 41, of Huttonsville, is charged with one count of shoplifting-third offense and one count of receiving or transferring stolen goods, both felonies. She is currently being held at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $12,000 10% cash bond.
According to the criminal complaint, filed by Corporal A.B. Beverly with the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, on Monday, Beverly responded to the Shoe Show store located in Elkins in regard to a shoplifting complaint. While responding, deputies were advised that a female suspect had left the store and had also reportedly stolen another customer’s cellphone.
Upon arrival, deputies and members of the West Virginia State Police patrolled the area in search of the suspect, the complaint states. Beverly spoke with a Shoe Show employee who stated that Lanham, who provided her name to the employee, had entered the store earlier in the day to return an item. Lanham came back to the store and the employee reportedly observed an empty shoe box in the same aisle Lanham had been in. The employee noticed that shoes appeared to be missing.
Lanham allegedly told the employee she had drugs in her bag, but did not show what was inside, the complaint states. When the employee noticed a phone in the aisle, they asked Lanham if it belonged to her. Lanham allegedly grabbed the phone and said yes. After Lanham left, another customer reported that her phone was missing. The employee provided officers with three empty shoe boxes. The three missing pairs of shoes held a total value of $45.96.
Beverly then spoke with the customer who reported her phone was missing, the complaint states. The alleged victim described the phone to be a light blue iPhone 16 Plus with a butterfly case that had a cartoon sticker on the back. The alleged victim said the value of the phone was approximately $1,200 when it was initially purchased.
While Beverly was obtaining statements at Shoe Show, Trooper Stuart, Trooper Jordon and Deputy Elbon attempted to locate the missing phone using the alleged victim’s Apple Watch, which resulted in officers locating Lanham at the nearby Sheetz gas station, the complaint states. Lanham had reportedly changed clothes and was allegedly wearing some clothes with tags still on them.
Lanham also allegedly had drug paraphernalia in plain view sticking out from the top of her shirt. The missing phone, which had a picture of the alleged victim as the lock screen image, was allegedly found in Lanham’s possession. Also reportedly found in Lanham’s possession were multiple items that appeared to still have the price tags on them, as well as the three pairs of shoes missing from Shoe Show.
After being advised of her Miranda Rights, Lanham reportedly agreed to speak to law enforcement without a lawyer present, the complaint states. Lanham allegedly admitted to taking the phone from Shoe Show after being asked if it was hers. She claimed that she left with the phone and discarded her old phone, which deputies found nearby the store. Lanham allegedly stated that she wanted to use the stolen phone, but could not unlock it, and she claimed that her intentions were to return it later. When shown one of the stolen pairs of shoes from Shoe Show, Lanham allegedly confessed to taking them without paying for them. The stolen items were returned to Shoe Show and the alleged victim.
According to the complaint, some of the remaining items were suspected to have also been stolen from the nearby Bealls clothing store; however, when Beverly spoke with an employee from Bealls, he was informed that they were “not permitted” to take any action regarding this offense.
Lanham’s criminal history shows several charges for shoplifting third offense, the complaint states. However, Beverly writes that Lanham’s most recent conviction was for shoplifting second offense, to which she entered a guilty plea on Jan. 8. Beverly also wrote that he suspects Lanham was on drugs when she allegedly committed the offenses on Monday.
In June, Lanham was charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance in a correctional facility, a felony. According to Magistrate Court records, this charge against her was dismissed on Aug. 17.