Employee pepper-sprayed as women try to snatch Nike items from Academy Sports, police say

Five Wichita women between the ages of 18 and 26 were arrested Tuesday after trying to rob an Academy Sports and spraying an employee with pepper spray, police said.

Police were called about a “disturbance with weapons” at around 2:30 p.m. at the Academy Sports at 2710 N. Maize, after a group of women tried to leave with more than $2,000 in merchandise without paying, officer Charley Davidson said in a news release.

An employee trying to stop the women was shot with pepper spray. He was not seriously injured.

Records show the merchandise included 79 items of “Nike athletic wear” as well as 11 other “wear” items — one of them for a toddler.

“With the assistance of witnesses, officers located a suspect vehicle at 13th and Tyler, and a second suspect vehicle was located at 17th and Tyler. All five individuals were arrested without further incident,” Davidson said. “The stolen merchandise was recovered and returned to the store.”

Cierra Hutton, 26, Kamirah Abbot, 20, Brynaysha Clark, 20, Lakia Clark, 18, and Timesha Collins, 18, were arrested on suspicion of aggravated robbery and theft, Davidson said. Lakia Clark was also arrested on traffic charges and Abbot on an outstanding warrant.

This story was originally published July 15, 2020 at 3:40 PM.