More charges for mom after she and daughter arrested

Dorsey Saunders Dorsey Saunders Photo: Contributed / Contributed Photo Photo: Contributed / Contributed Photo Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close More charges for mom after she and daughter arrested 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

FAIRFIELD — A Bridgeport woman — arrested Sunday night along with her 12-year-old daughter — was arrested again early Tuesday morning.

Dorsey Saunders, 41, and her 12-year-old daughter were arrested after they allegedly kicked out the glass doors at the 7-Eleven at 3232 Post Road Sunday night. Tuesday morning, just after midnight Saunders was again in police custody, charged with stealing $59 worth of Red Bull, ice cream and Hot Pockets from the Cumberland Farms at 975 Kings Highway East.

Her daughter, who was in the car at the time, was not charged in the Cumberland Farms theft and was turned over to a family member.

A cashier at Cumberland Farms called police around 12:15 a.m. to report a shoplifting in progress. She said the woman, identified as Saunders, came in and put six four-packs of Red Bull, four ice cream cups and a box of Hot Pockets in her purse and left without paying. The cashier said she recognized Saunders from a store memo about suspected repeat shoplifters.

Saunders’ car was stopped by police as she was pulling out of the driveway and she was charged with sixth-degree larceny.

In the 7-Eleven incident, the pair had been locked in the store by the clerk around 8 p.m. Aug. 13 after he suspected them of shoplifting. He left the store, locking them in, and called police. The pair kicked out the glass and ran into the parking lot, with the clerk chasing after them. The 12-year-old allegedly used a stun gun on the clerk, and police found all three in the lot when they arrived.

According to police, the clerk said the two had come in on prior occasions and befriended him. But, he noticed that his inventory of Red Bull was always short after they came to the convenience store. Surveillance video from two other times they were there in July allegedly shows them taking cans of Red Bull.

Saunders, of Ridgefield Avenue, was charged with risk of injury/impairing the morals of a minor, first-degree criminal mischief, criminal attempt at sixth-degree larceny, conspiracy to commit sixth-degree larceny, and breach of peace.

Her 12-year-old daughter was charged with second-degree assault, first-degree criminal mischief, criminal attempt to commit sixth-degree larceny and conspiracy to commit sixth-degree larceny.

Saunders told police they were regular customers and denied stealing anything from the store. She said she was confused why the clerk locked them in the store and kicked out the glass because they were scared. Inside their car, police found a bag of cold Red Bull cans on the floor of the front seat, and four-packs of Monster and Red Bull on the backseat.

The damage to the doors was estimated at $2,000.

For the 7-Eleven arrest, Saunders was released on a $2,500 bond and is scheduled to appear in state Superior Court in Bridgeport on Aug. 24. Her daughter was released into her custody, and the state Department of Children and Families was notified.

For the Cumberland Farms incident, Saunders was released on a $500 surety bond, with an Aug. 25 court date.

greilly@ctpost.com; @GreillyPost