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‘Professional shoplifter’ had $20,000 in stolen items in her home 'boutique': Police

Police recovered more than 414 items worth about $20,000 from her East St. Louis home

CHESTERFIELD, Mo. — Name-brand clothes, UGG boots, suitcases, a Playstation, risque Halloween costumes and even a furry werewolf mask.

These are just some of the 414 stolen items found in an East St. Louis woman’s basement, according to police photos sent to 5 On Your Side. Chesterfield police described it as a “home boutique,” with items sold by someone they said is a “professional shoplifter.”

"This individual, she was stealing to feed herself or her family. She didn't need clothing for herself or her family she was doing this as a business," explained Sgt. Keith Rider with the Chesterfield Police Department.

Twanna Trotter has a history of stealing from stores in the St. Louis area, police said. She was arrested multiple times in Chesterfield for thefts beginning in 2018. Officers found more than $5,000 worth of stolen items in those arrests.

While on probation for those crimes, police said Trotter was suspected of stealing again, this time in Chesterfield, throughout St. Louis County and as far away as Osage Beach.

"The moral of the story: she never stopped until she was physically locked up in jail," Sgt. Rider said.

Trotter was back on police radar, which led officers to her online “boutique" and eventually her home in East St. Louis. Chesterfield police said Trotter set up what essentially looked like a store in her basement, and she was selling the items online using Facebook Live.

"I would almost call her a professional thief," Sgt. Rider said. "She knew what she was doing."

While executing a search warrant, officers from several agencies recovered about 414 stolen items worth $20,000. That case is still pending in Illinois.

On Thursday, Trotter was sentenced to four years in prison for thefts in Chesterfield and throughout the St. Louis area.

“These investigations highlight the hard work and investigative tenacity of our Officers as well as a cooperative effort between multiple law enforcement agencies to combat retail crime in our region,” Chesterfield police said in a news release.

"For a career thief like this, we were very happy with that outcome," Sgt. Rider said.

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