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Police arrest Dorchester mom and daughter for shoplifting

Print | Comments () Posted by Mike Bello December 8, 2010 01:20 PM

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By L. Finch, Globe Correspondent

A Dorchester woman and her mother were arrested Tuesday after she allegedly walked out of a shoe store with a pair of stolen boots hidden under her baby stroller and her mother allegedly scratched a police officer when they were confronted, police said.

Kyana Jinks, 22, of Dorchester is charged with shoplifting, and her mother, Prensila Jinks, 44, of Roslindale is charged with assault and battery on a police officer, according to Boston police.

Kyana was shopping at Famous Footwear on Massachusetts Avenue around 2:30 p.m. when an employee allegedly saw her place a pair of black suede boots into the bottom of her baby stroller, which held Kyana’s young child, according to police. The employee contacted police and followed her to another store.

When a police officer confronted Kyana, she told him her name was “Elizabeth.” She also told the officer she had no identification, and that the child in her stroller was her niece. Kyana told him the boot she took was in her car, but when asked for the car key, she said she didn’t have one, according to police.

The officer found only one boot in the stroller.

As the officer arrested Kyana for shoplifting, her mother arrived on scene. She denied being Kyana’s mother, calling herself “Kate,” and attempted to leave with the child, according to police. When the officer tried to stop her, she swung at his hand, hitting and scratching it, according to police.

Prensila then fled but was arrested a short time later, according to police. Another woman, a family friend of Kyana and Prensila, arrived at the scene and took custody of the child, according to police.