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New York State Police say they responded to reports of an armed robbery taking place at the Adult World Boutique located on Route 17m in New Hampton on Tuesday, June 18 around 10 a.m.
A 911 call from the store clerk indicated that two men entered the store wielding handguns and demanding cash, according to police.
Further reports stated that approximately $2,800 in cash was taken from a safe. Witnesses told officers that the men were seen exiting the business holding handguns and fleeing in a light-colored Ford Focus.
The vehicle was subsequently stopped by Village of Goshen Police on Route 17m, and the occupants were arrested.
Further investigation by the State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation revealed the robbery had been staged to cover the previous embezzlement of cash by the clerk who originally called 911, police say.
The clerk, identified as Venessa Mirabel, 47, of Middletown, had been stealing cash from the business over the course of the past month, according to police.
Mirabel and three accomplices, Anthony Williams, 22, Jesse Hocutt, 32, and Sabrina Williams, 25, all of Hurleyville, devised a plan to stage a robbery at the business in order to hide the previous thefts, police say.
Mirabel and the accomplices were arrested and charged with fourth-degree grand larceny, a felony and fifth-degree conspiracy, a misdemeanor. Mirabel was also charged with additional counts of fourth-degree grand larceny and providing a false written statement, a misdemeanor.
The four suspects were arraigned in the Town of Wallkill Court and remanded to the Orange County Jail in lieu of cash bail.
This investigation is ongoing and additional charges are expected.
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