When the anti-theft employee said stop, a suspect pulled out pepper spray

A man and a woman are accused of robbing a Kohl’s store on South Mooney Boulevard and dousing the employee who tried to stop them with pepper spray, Visalia police said.

The incident happened Aug. 31, but the two suspects were not arrested until Thursday night when they were involved in a disturbance at a Walmart on East Noble Avenue.

Steven Hawley, 44, and Elizabeth Fuller, 28, were arrested about 8:15 p.m. Police identified them as the suspects in the Kohl’s robbery.

In that robbery, police said, Hawley and Fuller are accused of leaving without paying for miscellaneous items. When a theft prevention employee stopped them, Fuller used the pepper spray on the employee before she and Hawley fled.

They were booked into the Tulare County Pre-Trial Facility on suspicion of armed robbery and conspiracy, and several drug and weapons violations.

This story was originally published September 22, 2017 at 3:51 PM with the headline "When the anti-theft employee said stop, a suspect pulled out pepper spray."