WOODBRIDGE – After an “exhaustive” investigation, the Woodbridge Police Department has concluded no theft occurred during Girl Scout cookie sales at the Woodbridge Center Mall.
The reported incident occurred sometime between 4:20 p.m. and 4:50 p.m. on Jan. 18 near the Boscov’s wing near Chick-fil-A. The person who reported the theft, the troop leader of Girl Scout Troop 80062, said she placed the profits from cookie sales – approximately $500 cash and several checks – in an envelope and left it unattended, according to Police Capt. Scott Kuzma.
On Jan. 30, police said there is “a finding of insufficient evidence to support the theft allegation as initially reported.”
The department’s Detective Bureau launched an immediate investigation, which, among other investigative leads, focused on a Facebook posting the theft was captured on surveillance video; and a male suspect, accompanied by an elderly woman with a walker, allegedly responsible for the theft, police said.
Woodbridge detectives identified and located the woman with the walker and her companion referenced in the Facebook post. The individuals were subsequently interviewed and were eliminated as suspects, according to police.
A full review of any/all surveillance video in and around the area of Boscov’s Department store and Woodbridge Center Mall failed to show the proceeds envelope on the sales table and the alleged theft was not captured on video, according to police.
Police detectives also interviewed the parents, Girl Scouts and other witnesses associated with Girl Scout Troop 80062 who were present at the Jan. 18 cookie sale event and determined none of those present in and around the display table observed a money envelope on the table at any time, according to police.