University Place Police Arrest Woman Who Allegedly Stole $287 Worth of Items, Spit in Deputy's Face

University Place Police arrested a woman Tuesday who allegedly stole hundreds of dollars worth of items from Big Lots, then spit in the face of a deputy when he confronted her.

Employees at the store off Bridgeport Way West called authorities about a woman who had stolen items and put them in her purse, roamed through the store eating items she had not paid for and subsequently passed out on a store recliner.

Deputies arrived, woke her up and "found her to be intoxicated and verbally aggressive," according to Interim Chief Mike Blair.

The woman, a transient with ties to Tacoma, had stolen $287 worth of items, and she had only $3 in her purse, he added. She also refused to identify herself to officers.

"She spit in the face of a deputy as she was being arrested," Blair said.

The woman was booked into Pierce County Jail on suspicion of assault, theft and for an active felony warrant for escape from state custody.