July 16, 2008
SAN DIEGO, Calif.
Sydney Bessler
Today celebrity Jean-Yvette Gautier and store owner Sandra Almeida held a press conference at the UCSD campus to announce the charges of grand larceny being pressed against Gautier for alleged shop lifting.
Lt. Jennifer Casey arrived on the scene after Almeida called the police to report the supposed crime. Casey found the two women fighting over the purse with some of the stolen items on the floor. Almeida has pressed charges of grand larceny and Gautier can face up to one year in jail.
While Gautier was shopping at Almeida’s store Roupa Rosa, in La Jolla on July 12; Gautier said Almeida bothered her by pushing her to buy items she didn’t want. To make Almeida go away, Gautier asked her to go to the back to get a pair of shoes for her to try on. While Almeida was busy in the back, Gautier walked to the front door to try to leave. Gautier claimed she left her bag on the floor of the shop and Almeida placed the allegedly stolen items in her bag. The items valued at $3000, included two bracelets, a scarf, a dress, and a pair of shoes.
According to Almeida, Gautier supposedly put the stolen items into the purse while she was in the back getting the shoes for Gautier to try on. Almeida says, “She is spoiled. I have owned this store for twelve years and nothing like this has ever happened before. I am sure the court will find her guilty,”. Gautier claimed, “She framed me. She put the items in my purse for publicity for her store, if people knew I shopped here she would get more business,”.
