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Tamar Thomas, 53, began shouting at the Papyrus employee when he approached her in the store on Saturday afternoon — “a common tactic used by shoplifters” — then yanked the child out by the arm, Detective Capt. Timothy Torell told CLIFFVIEW PILOT.
The woman followed Thomas, who took more than $200 worth of merchandise, and caught up to her and the child on nearby South Dean Street, Torell said.
Thomas assaulted the employee, who didn’t require medical attention, the captain said.
A good Samaritan gave the woman his cellphone so she could call 911, then followed Thomas and the child to the public library on Engle Street, he said.
Police Officers Timothy Barrett, Charles Silva, Stacy Cook and Andrew Chytrak responded and arrested Thomas.
The child’s legal guardian was contacted and reunited with the youngster, Torell said. The state Division of Child Protection & Permanency was notified, he said.
“How someone takes a child to do a crime is always difficult to understand,” Torell said. “The actions of the Good Samaritan in this case should be commended.”
Thomas remained held on $100,000 bail in the Bergen County Jail, charged with robbery and child endangerment.
Torell said Thomas has used nine variations of her date of birth and 10 variations of her Social Security number during a series of arrests over the past 25 years.
MUGSHOT: Courtesy ENGLEWOOD PD
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