CLEARLAKE — Money owed appears to be the motive in a shoplifting-turned-kidnapping case according to Clearlake Police Department. Two Clearlake women were arrested Saturday in relation to the case.
According to Sgt. R. Joseph, Officer T. Paulsen responded to Walmart at approximately 7 p.m. Saturday for a report of a shoplifter in custody. Officers accepted the arrest of a 20-year-old Clearlake woman and transported her to department for processing.
According to Joseph, the woman told the officers that she was kidnapped at gunpoint the previous day and held at a home on the 5600 block of Brown Street by two known women.
“She stated that she had been held, threatened with a handgun and assaulted over a period of about 24 hours,” Joseph said. “She further reported that the two female suspects had forced her to steal at Walmart for them, before the woman was detained by store employees. The woman did have visible injuries.”
Joseph said officers immediately began investigating the woman”s claims. Clearlake Police Detective T. Alvarado, Sgt. T. Celli and Interim Chief of Police Craig Clausen were called out to assist in the investigation. Joseph said the investigation, which continued for approximately 13 continuous hours and included witness interviews, parole searches, evidence collection and suspect interviews, led to the arrests of Areti White, 26, and Amber Williams, 29.
“A handgun has also been collected but may or may not be associated with this investigation,” Joseph said. White, whom Joseph said is a convicted felon and parolee, was charged with terrorist threats, exhibiting a firearm, kidnapping, false imprisonment, felon in possession of a firearm and for being armed in the commission of a felony.
Williams was charged with kidnapping, false imprisonment and accessory to a felony. Both women were booked into Lake County Jail.
“The motive appears to be over money owed to White by the victim,” Joseph said. “The victim was subsequently released from custody from the shoplifting charge. The investigation will be submitted to the Lake County District Attorney”s Office for charges on both White and Williams.” Anyone with information regarding this case or any other CPD investigation is urged to contact the department at 994-8251.
