


Police recently arrested a 77-year-old woman for allegedly stealing two Barbie dolls from the Target store in Bloomfield Township.
Vijaya Chalichama Rao of Bloomfield Township is charged with third-degree retail fraud for an incident reported on March 13 at the store, located at 2400 S. Telegraph Rd.
According to Bloomfield Township police, a loss prevention officer detained Rao after she allegedly came to the store with an unopened “Ken” Barbie doll in a Target bag, went to the toy section, selected two more Ken dolls from the shelf, and then brought all three to the customer service desk where she tried to return them. The customer service clerk wouldn’t let Rao return the dolls for a refund; Rao then allegedly walked toward the exit doors with the merchandise and passed all checkout stations without attempting to pay for it.
Officers called to the scene cited Rao for the misdemeanor and then released her.
The two dolls are valued at $33.90, police said.
Rao is scheduled for arraignment on April 9 in 48th District Court. If convicted, she could face up to 93 days in jail and/or a fine of up to $500.