ST. LOUIS — A ºüÀêÊÓƵ woman was caught Monday swiping a laptop and recording equipment from behind a judge's bench in a downtown courtroom, charges say.Â
Jessica Loeffler, 42, of the 3500 block of Nebraska Avenue, was charged Tuesday with one count of felony stealing of items valued at more than $750.
According to charges, Circuit Judge Timothy Boyer on Monday spotted Loeffler behind his bench in Division 8 of the Civil Courts building and told Loeffler to stay put while he summoned sheriff's deputies.
Instead, she took off before deputies could respond, charges said.
After searching around the courthouse, Sheriff's Capt. Felicia Davis found Loeffler hiding in a trash can on the Chestnut Avenue side of the courts building, charges said. As Davis tried to detain Loeffler, Loeffler tried getting into a vehicle, where deputies found the stolen laptop. The stolen recording equipment was found in the trash can.
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Loeffler admitted going behind Boyer's bench and taking a bag, charges said. Boyer identified Loeffler as the woman he found in his courtroom.
ºüÀêÊÓƵ Circuit Judge Calea Stovall-Reid denied bail for Loeffler.Â