Iowa City woman accused of attempting to steal hundreds in groceries

Hunter
10/09/23

An Iowa City woman was arrested Sunday afternoon after allegedly taking two shopping carts full of items from the First Avenue HyVee.

An Iowa City police officer was dispatched to the store to take a theft report. Store staff accused 54-year-old Tomika Byrd, who has no permanent address, of filling a shopping cart and walking out of the store at around 2:25pm that day.

While the officer was taking the report, Byrd allegedly returned, put more items into a cart, and left the store without paying.  Byrd was stopped in the parking lot and placed under arrest.

Store staff said Byrd took about $870 in items the first time, and the cart with her when police made the arrest contained over $250 worth of items.

Byrd has been charged with 3rd degree theft, an aggravated misdemeanor punishable by a jail term of up to two years if convicted.