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Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Media / News Police Report: Martha Vazquez Banned From Tucson Mall, Park Place After Alleged Shoplifting
Posted by Mari Herreras on Tue, Feb 14, 2012 at 12:46 PM
According to a Tucson Police Department report filed Saturday, Feb. 11, Martha Vazquez was cited for shoplifting at the Dillard's in the Tucson Mall after a security guard saw her on a surveillance camera conceal a $338 Eileen Fisher jacket in a sweater she wore to the department store.
When the security guard went through her belongings, he also found a pair of $30 Kenneth Cole earrings she hadn't purchased.
Read the report for yourself right here: Martha_Vazquez_Police_Report.pdf
It appears the incident cost Vazquez her job as 4 p.m. news anchor at KVOA Channel 4. In the police report, Vazquez told the cop she understood her rights. She said didn't intend to steal the jacket and earrings at first, "but I did and I have no excuses for it." Then she admitted she could have purchased them with her credit card.
Vazquez was released, and was told she's no longer allowed back at Dillard's, as well as Tucson and Park Place malls.
Comments (85)
Showing 1-50 of 85
Wow. Thanks for the "how-to" in shoplifting. Granted, it didn't work out too well for Martha, but still.
You've gone too far. Leave her alone.
like
dislike
The police person could not spell on the police report. They wrote still instead of steal. Is this what passes as a uniformed cop in Tucson.??.. Ignorance or illiterate take you choice.
She made a mistake and she is paying for it. No need to smear her any further. I have made many mistakes and I know that when you loose you do it alone. To be banned from the malls is not such a bad idea. I will ban myself, how is that!
I guess it's okay to steal nowadays, huh? Wow, don't feel bad for a shoplifter, people.
I have always been proud of how classy the Tucson Weekly is compared to some weekly newspapers, but this extensive coverage of Ms. Vazquez in disappointing. What's the point?
Grey Hoodie Jacket - $338
Earrings - $30
DVD of Security Video - PRICELESS
I am so sad when people STEAL (not STILL....duh!) and when you LOSE (not LOOSE), yes, you often do it alone. Stealing is wrong. And it disappoints me when people think that for some reason it is okay to take from a 'mall' when, in reality, everyone who steals is stealing from each of us as our purchases reflect price increases because of theft. On a personal note, I hope that Martha will get some professional help to see why she made such foolish choices. Disappointed in her? YES. And, disappointed that anyone would relish an opportunity to rub salt in the wound.
Just a quick comment on why we're covering this: When a familiar face in the media is suddenly and abruptly gone, that's news. Also news: The reason why that familiar face is suddenly and abruptly gone.
Two blog posts and what will amount to 2-3 paragraphs in print is not what I would consider "extensive coverage." It's what I consider appropriate to explain Martha Vazquez's departure from KVOA.
Thanks, as always, for reading.
Martha Vasquez was probably going through something personal that influenced her to make such a bad decision as to steal what she could obviously afford to pay. While I don't know her personally, my heart goes out to her. She gave my husband a very nice tip when he drove her in a limousine years ago.
Yes, they have a right to ban her from the mall but let's not forget all the good she has done throughout the years, by one instance of bad judgment.
Everyone has made mistakes and we all learn from them.
Sometimes people just steal stuff because they don't want to pay for it, even though they can. There doesn't have to be a pathology behind it.
OMG. For reals. That's crazy. Lady has more money then any of us. What was the fricken point, really? Greed man, just plan greed.
67 comments elsewhere in the pages of this august newspaper...67! Comments about some apparent impulse-control problem and not so many (not even close) comments about anything else...What's wrong?
Why are we supposed to feel sorry for her and bashing the police? She committed a crime and is a local celebrity...of course they're going to report it. If my children steal, they will be arrested and tried for their crimes. Why should she be any different?
26 years with KVOA, thrown away for a few items she could have easily paid for or charged. Makes one wonder how many items has she stolen in the past and gotten away with. It's not like stealing is something, someone takes up spontaniously. Sounds like a well rehearsed activity. I am glad she got caught, because most people think of shop-lifters as poor or minority and this just goes to show that this crime, involves all elements of society.
I gave Martha the benefit of the doubt and maybe just maybe there is more to it, but at this point it looks like she knowingly broke the law and took something that was not hers and that is wrong. So so disturbing, but I still think we shouldn't judge until we know the facts.
for now I will go eat some crow and humble pie.
Near as I can remember Martha has been a solid member of the community for over thirty years.
I can't believe the lack of empathy shown in the preceding remarks.
Obviously Martha has problems and needs help because this behavior is way off the grid for Ms. Vazquez. I sincerely hope she does well in the future and her friends rally around her.
Who would've thought Martha is an adrenaline junkie. Sorry Martha on the fail but you should have gone bunjee jumping or something. Gonna miss you.
Martha's always seemed pretty cool, and once Patty Weiss retired she sort of became the face of local news. It'd be nice for there to be a cooling off period and then get her back on the air. One misdemeanor shouldn't mean a person has to lose their job.
My face when :
Local people gasp in horror as local anchor is caught stealing, outrage
No response or outrage at the theft, corruption imposed upon our government by corporate interest
ლ(ಠ益ಠლ)
Damn, Martha, what were you thinking? Or not thinking. You're a good kid, don't walk down that road.
But I forgive you (for what it's worth, i.e., easy for me to say). Now do the time and promise you'll think twice and don't pull this crap no more.
I think that is a little harsh...forcing her to resign. A pretty small mistake. Had she ridden the bus, she would discover that the regular shoplifters...who are caught, cited, and let go repeatedly by police, don't hit up Dillard's because they have better security. They hit up Macy's because the security is lax, and make off with $3000 in baubles. When they do get caught, they act outraged because "that time" they weren't actually stealing. Seriously, the things you find out riding Suntran (and you get to view their police citations too).
I feel for Martha. I hope she gets hired back. Sounds like she has some personal issues to work through, but it shouldn't cost her her job.
Wonder why ADS deleted their online comments on both Martha articles? Their applet shows there were tons of them, but when you click on the article, comment section is missing.
GREEDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am going to miss her. David Yetman recovered...she will, too.
Ok first note, whomever that officer was, he needs to be retrained in Professional English writing. I have wrote many professional reports in my time, and this guy takes the cake. Really - Still = Steal??? How can that be. Just saying! I have no love lost for those who do steal, however, I will miss her on the news, she has been a big part of the Tucson Community. So, there is no need to bash her any further, then what was covered in the few sentences listed above.
I guess KVOA didn't provide a clothing allowance? Cheap bastards.
Say it ain't so...
After all these years, we still love you, Martha
Hey, grammar queen Elaine Malott (Above):
1) First sentence: Should be "WHOEVER that officer was..."
2) Second sentence: Should be "I have WRITTEN..."
3) Last sentence: Should be "THAN was covered..."
You see if that was someone else they would NAIL them. personal problems that brought this on? She is married to a Doctor. She can't be hurting that bad for money. All of you that feel sorry for her ? What if that was your family or friend? Double standard as usual.
i still wonder what people do what they dough. Can anybody hear me??????????
All you bleeding hearts wanting to go easy on her would act differently if she stole from YOU INSTEAD
......and YES, when you're in the public eye you are held to a higher standard and expected to behave accordingly.
Join the unemployment line Martha, better luck to you.
The whole thing is just very strange. My mother read the article in the AZ Daily Star to me over the phone this afternoon (I live in IL), and we were both flabbergasted. The way the article was written, we weren't sure if this might not have been a case of identity theft, but if she was filmed by security cameras, no way. As someone upstream posted, it makes you wonder if she has done this before and gotten away with it. I do hope she gets some professional counseling for her problem, whatever precipitated this.
She should have known better, I'm sure newscasters make a very good income and with all her years. I'm glad she is gone, she was not an attractive person to be on the news!
WOW!! I am totally torn... on one hand; she was/is a dominate figure in the community, and we should support her and hope and pray she gets help and whatever... then on the other hand, WOW! she did THAT?! just because she is a celebrity she shouldn't get special treatment. 'She did the crime, she should do the time'.... I didn't realize how much impact someone like Martha would have on our household, then something like this happens... I do pray for her, and hope to see her on t.v. again...
I am deeply saddened by both the lack of empathy and the outright ignorance. A person who shoplifts when they are able to pay is NOT always an "adrenaline junkie".
Ms. Vasquez has proven herself for many years to be a kind, intelligent, generous and caring person, deeply committed to her community and her profession.
She deserves at least the respect of pausing before appointing ourselves judge, jury and god - how many of us have never ever transgressed? How many of us have never had a loved one in trouble? Have a heart, today of all days!
Here is a link with some information for those who like to consider before throwing those stones:
http://www.shopliftingprevention.org/WhatN…
Just because people feel empathy for her does not mean she is getting special treatment. She had to step down (whether it be her doing or KVOA enacting her morality clause) from a job she built up from nothing. Losing your life's work in a single instant is punishment in and of itself... Not to mention that no one in law enforcement or the media is trying to hide what happened.
This is nothing, leave the lady alone now. Yes she abruptly disappeared from the KVOA scene, but let her be. Try this: a NY anchor was recently accused of raping a woman at a holiday party and he "abruptly" disappeared from his morning anchor seat. Lucky for him, his father is the NYC police commissioner and there "will be no rape charges." I think rape is worse than shoplifting, albeit it is a crime. Tucson, you're just so silly.
I wonder what possessed her to knock over *Dillard's* of all godawful places? And for a crappy Eileen Fisher jacket? And cheesy Kenneth Cole earrings? I thought Martha had *much* better taste than that! She must not be herself these days.
Did C. George poop his pants for real? Poor thing, I did notice that he seemed rather bloated and sometimes his face would appear kind of flushed--it never occurred to me that he might be having a movement...
no comment from KVOA there job is to report the news this station is one sided and watch there rateings fall as far as the story who cares she has always been self centered
If she was WHITE, the brown community would be outraged, remember
Why isn't this being covered by the TV news in Tucson? This is certainly bigger than a lot of other stories I've seen on TV.
None of the news channels covered this story (KOLD, FOX, KVOA)... even for the 10pm broadcast. Biased are we?
Im sorry but isnt right is right and wrong is wrong? She did it, shes an adult. No free pass bc who she is. If any regular person shop lifited would we get a a free pass? NO!
If this would have been Lindsey Lohan that had been caught shop lifting at the tucson (caca) mall most of you Idiots would be running to get her autograph.
Your only as good as your last good deed. I don't give a care if i spelled right. I graduated from community college in four years time. If you didn't know I have a learning disorder you would be quick to judge me as well. If I had to show up for work everyday and put my personnal buisness on the 4,5, or 6 o'clock news I'd be screwed up too. If you think it's so easy, go there and see if their hiring cowards. Leave Chuck alone and leave the other news stations alone and worry about raising your children.
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