Two men from the US state of Colorado who had been convicted of felony theft for stealing over $2,000 worth of goods made a bold argument saying that their charge should be lessened since some of the items they stole were on sale.
‘KitchenAid Mixer Crew’
Michael Green (50) and Byron Bolden (37) were formally sentenced after being convicted of robbing a Kohl’s department store in a Colorado town named Parker.
The duo, according to the prosecutors, were dubbed the “KitchenAid Mixer Crew,” after they stole a number of branded shoes, clothing, and several high-end kitchen appliances, but also due to their alleged association with other retail thefts.
Green and Bolden were identified and caught by the store’s surveillance footage and had initially pleaded not guilty.
But it was during their trial when defence lawyers for the two men “suggested to a jury that their clients should only face a lesser misdemeanor charge because some of the items they stole were being offered ‘on sale’,” according to the district attorney’s office.
“Just because an item is ‘on sale’ doesn’t mean it’s free to steal, and these defendants now get to think about this lesson in jail and prison,” said district attorney John Kellner presiding over the case, according to a press release.
He added, “Retailers in our community are fed up with theft and my office will actively prosecute these offenders.” The jury ultimately convicted the pair of felony theft.
The US has reportedly witnessed a surge in retail theft. According to the data collected in the 2023 National Retail Security Survey found that total retail losses due to theft rose to $112.1 billion in 2022, up 19 per cent from 2021, but the reports are not always accurate.
In the US state of Colorado, theft under $2,000 is a misdemeanour while theft between $2,000 and $5,000 is a Class 6 felony. The so-called “KitchenAid Mixer Crew,” stole items worth $2,094.98 and were convicted of felony theft.
Where are they now?
According to American media reports, Green was sentenced to 15 months in prison but is currently in the Department of Corrections on a separate conviction. Meanwhile, Bolden was sentenced to 90 days in jail with credit for time served as a condition of 18 months of probation.
(With inputs from agencies)
