Kroger shopper claims she has COVID-19 after $1,200 grocery theft, Ohio cops say

A woman in Ohio claimed she had coronavirus after shoplifting groceries Tuesday from a Kroger supermarket, police said.

Sharonville police responded to the grocery store around 3 p.m. after reports of a shoplifter, officials said in a news release.

When they arrived, police arrested Stephanie Incarnato, 28, who they said tried to steal more than $1,280 worth of merchandise, WKRC reported.

During her arrest, Incarnato gave police a different name and claimed to have tested positive for COVID-19 only a day before, the release said. Medics on the scene told police Incarnato was not displaying any symptoms and did not need testing.

Incarnato also told police that she was pregnant and had swallowed narcotics, according to the release.

She was ultimately properly identified after being fingerprinted at the jail.

As of noon Wednesday, police said they had not been able to locate any records suggesting that Incarnato had been tested for coronavirus, let alone with a positive result. Police were quick to add that she was not actively trying to infect merchandise.

Incarnato had an outstanding felony warrant and was charged with felony theft and drug abuse along with exposing others to contagions, which is a misdemeanor, the release said.

Sharonville is roughly 15 miles northeast of Cincinnati.

This story was originally published April 8, 2020 at 1:12 PM with the headline "Kroger shopper claims she has COVID-19 after $1,200 grocery theft, Ohio cops say."