Suspect identified and captured in Godfrey retail theft case, social media tips pay off

GODFREY - Social media paid dividends in a recent Godfrey retail theft case for the Madison County Sheriff's Department.

Madison County Sheriff's Office said the suspect in the October 18th, 2017, Godfrey posting was identified by a Facebook viewer who saw the posting, and called the Sheriff's Office, providing the suspect's identity.

The sheriff's office said the suspect was identified as 39-year-old Carlette Whitfield of Alton. Whitfield was apprehended on an unrelated warrant in Alton on Thursday October 19, 2017.

The Alton woman was transported to the Madison County Jail on that warrant. She was charged today with a felony Retail Theft 2nd Subsequent Offense related to the original posting. Whitfield's bond was set at $30,000 on the charge by the Honorable Judge Kyle Napp.

"We want to thank those of you who messaged and/or called in tips to the Sheriff's Office on this matter," the Madison County Sheriff's Department said.

On Tuesday, October 17, 2017, at approximately 1:30 p.m., employees of the Godfrey Schnuck’s approached a female on the parking lot, who stole four bottle of liquor from the business. The female began arguing with the employee’s and threw two of the full bottles of liquor at them, the sheriff's office said.

The woman dropped the other two bottles on the lot and fled on foot. The female entered a blue full size van and fled the area.

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