A woman has been arrested and charged in connection with an alleged robbery at a department store that left two employees hospitalized with injuries.
Kaimira M. Higgenbotham, 33, of Trenton, was indicted last week on several charges, including robbery, aggravated assault and harassment.
According to Bristol Township police, the robbery occurred at around 8 p.m. on April 21 at Gabe’s Department Store in the Fairless Hills section of Bristol Township when store employees confronted Higgenbotham after seeing her hiding merchandise in a laundry basket. A store employee who was knowledgeable about theft prevention recognized the suspects’ behavior as a sign of a potential shoplifter.
When Higgenbotham tried to leave the store, an altercation ensued, police said.
An employee tried to intervene, but Higgenbotham resisted and a physical altercation ensued. A second employee rushed to his colleague’s aid, but both were attacked by Higgenbotham, police said.
Surveillance footage from the store shows Higgenbotham hitting one employee on the head several times with her cellphone and dragging the other across the floor while stomping on her chest, police said.
The two store employees, one of whom was 71 years old, suffered serious injuries, including head and chest trauma that required bypass surgery.
One of the injured employees continues to suffer from symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of the attack. The other employee suffered a concussion and was diagnosed with a brain aneurysm. Both continue to receive medical treatment.
After the robbery, Bristol Township police obtained surveillance footage that showed the suspect fleeing the scene in a white Lexus. Working with Trenton police, they identified the owner of the vehicle, who admitted to loaning the car to Higgenbotham, police said.
A selfie provided by the vehicle’s owner matched the suspect seen in the surveillance video, police said.
Through additional surveillance footage, driver’s license photos and witness statements, investigators were able to link Higgenbotham to the crime.
Higgenbotham was ordered held by District Judge Kevin Wagner on bail of 10 percent of a $100,000 bond.
Editor’s note: All persons arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using police information and publicly available court documents.
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