Leader Staff
Brenda S. Webster
A Gillett woman accused of robbing a Main Street grocery store at knifepoint Friday made a quick change as part of her attempted getaway, but was spotted dumping her clothes into the garbage, according to a criminal complaint filed Monday.
Brenda S. Webster, 56, could face a maximum 40 years in prison and $100,000 fine if found guilty of armed robbery.
Webster allegedly entered the Guerrero Grocery, 520 S. Main St., shortly before 6 p.m. wearing a black ski mask and threatened the store owner with a steak knife.
The complaint alleges Webster took a money bag containing about $4,000 from behind the counter and started to leave the store.
According to the complaint, Webster dropped the money bag on her way out of the store, and the store owner tried picking it up, but Webster allegedly pushed her over and fled with the bag.
Webster is also charged with misdemeanor battery for causing injury to the store owner.
Moments after police got the call about an armed robbery, another call came in reporting a suspicious person behind the 400 block of West Sawyer Street.
A witness told police she saw a woman come into her yard. The woman took off her socks and crawled in and out of a garbage bin. Then she fled, running north.
Webster was arrested moments later on East Randall Street, four blocks away from the crime scene.
Police later found dark-colored clothing, shoes, a pair of white socks and a blue glove in the garbage bin, according to the complaint.
Webster was ordered held on a $15,000 cash bond after an initial appearance in Shawano-Menominee County Circuit Court on Monday.
She is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Monday.