CLARKSVILLE, TN (WSMV) -
Clarksville Police said a woman told officers she stole two purses to repay a $250 debt she owed to a man.
According to Officer Jim Knoll, Jennifer Bouknight, 27, was arrested around 11 a.m. Tuesday.
Knoll said police were called to a business at 1680 Fort Campbell Boulevard after a 30-year-old woman reported she had left her purse unattended for a short period of time and it was stolen.
Store security video showed a woman, later identified as Bouknight, pushing a shopping cart with a car seat and being in possession of a stolen purse, leaving the store, and getting into a red pickup with a black front tag holder, Knoll said.
Police said the vehicle and suspect were spotted minutes later by two officers in the parking lot of a business at 1128 Fort Campbell Boulevard.
The officers, Avery Lambert and Todd Bell, approached Bouknight and asked her to get out of the vehicle, Knoll said.
Instead of getting out of the pickup, police said Bouknight put the vehicle into reverse and attempted to leave.
Officer Bell managed to turn off the vehicle to prevent Bouknight from leaving the lot, Knoll said.
Both police officers struggled with Bouknight to remove her from the pickup and take her into custody, Knoll said.
Police found three purses inside the vehicle, two of which did not belong to Bouknight, Knoll said.
Officers knew one purse belonged to the 30-year-old woman from earlier in the day, while he owner of the second purse was a 31-year-old woman who had been shopping at a Dover Road business, police said.
Knoll said when the officers searched Bouknight, they found Xanax and cocaine. It was also discovered that Bouknight had used one of the victim's credit cards, according to police.
Bouknight was charged with identity theft, two counts of theft of property, driving on a revoked license, resisting arrest, two counts of simple possession and possession of cocaine for resale.
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