A woman has been apprehended in Nashville after an alleged prolonged spree of high-value shoplifting, with the total stolen merchandise valued at more than $50,000. Metro Police reported that they arrested Melissa Mayes, 25, while she was in the process of stealing at a drug store on Gallatin Avenue on Monday night, as per FOX 17.

The arrest culminates in a series of alleged thefts that span nearly a year, kicking off in April 2024. In one instance, Mayes quietly slipped away with $8,633 worth of merchandise from Sunglass Hut inside Macy’s at Green Hills Mall. According to WSMV, Mayes's alleged thefts range from high-end sunglasses to beauty products.

Law enforcement released details detailing a hefty list of charges against Mayes, including stealing $5,433 in merchandise from LensCrafters and $4,119 from Sephora on Broadway. She faces 15 felony and three misdemeanor counts of organized retail crime or theft, accumulating to a staggering 18 counts. As per the Davidson County Sheriff's Office records, she is currently held on a $115,500 bond, WKRN reported.

This case also involves Orlexus Elliott, who was arrested last month on 22 counts and is suspected to have committed thefts in conjunction with Mayes. In one reported instance, Elliott made an appointment under a false name to facilitate the theft of 14 pairs of Prada brand sunglasses valued at $5,400 from LensCrafters. After the Walgreens theft on Monday, officers could track Mayes to a different location, where she was apprehended for another theft, highlighting the persistence of these alleged serial shoplifting activities.