Kennewick Woman Gets 'Earful' From Officers After Stealing Audiobooks

Guess she wanted to get caught up on her "hearing".

Kennewick police Monday arrested a 60-year-old woman after she allegedly stole over $1,200 worth of audiobooks from the Barnes & Noble bookstore at the Columbia Center Mall.

Maria Esquivel entered the store around 8pm and using three store bags she brought with her, loaded at least 50 of the audiobooks then tried to leave. She set off the store security alarm but disappeared before officers arrived.

However, she was arrested about an hour later after she tried to sell the books at the Hastings store on George Washington Way in Richland, through their buy-back program. Employees called 9-1-1. While officials did not say in their report, the workers were probably tipped off because the stolen items had not had the theft prevention magnetic alarms removed. You've probably noticed when you purchase an audio cd or dvd the store clerk often swipes it across a "reader" type of device on the counter.

Officials did not say if she bothered to take the plastic off before trying to resell them.

Esquivel is facing charges for trafficking in stolen property.