Police in the Bay Area city of Mountain View near San Jose arrested a Bay Area woman Friday in connection with two anti-Asian hate crimes, reports CBS5.
Authorities say Karen Inman told employees at a local store last month that she didn’t have to pay for food and clothing because they were Asian.
Police believe she’s the same woman who in February screamed racial slurs and spit at two customers at a downtown restaurant, including an Asian one.
Neither victim desired to prosecute so police released Inman after detaining her, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
However, prosecutors continued to investigate and eventually issued an arrest warrant for Inman on hate crime charges.
On Friday, NBC Bay Area reports police arrested her on accusations of stealing candy and ice cream from a Smart & Final in Mountain View that same day.
“This case is both disheartening and disturbing. Mountain View is a vibrant community in many ways thanks to the diversity that exists here,” said Mountain View Police Chief Chris Hsiung.
Authorities booked Inman nto the Santa Clara County Jail on suspicion of petty theft, robbery and two counts of violation of civil rights by force or threat. She is scheduled to appear in court Monday.
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