BUTLER COUNTY, Ohio — Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones is calling for the Liberty Center to pay a $5,000 reward after his office arrested one woman in connection to a recent theft at the center.
On Aug. 21, two women stole $2,300 worth of clothing from the Dick’s Sporting Goods location at Liberty Center. One of the women has been identified as 35-year-old Tiara Roberts of Dayton, who was arrested by deputies on Tuesday. The other woman has not yet been identified but Jones said they are getting close.
In a Facebook video posted by the Butler County Sheriff’s Office on Aug. 23, Jones said they have received close to 150 calls from Liberty Center in the last two months.
According to statistics we received from the sheriff’s office, they received over 200 calls to the center in June and July. This excludes general detail and extra patrol.
Of those calls, the majority were shoplifting or theft-related.
On Tuesday, after the arrest of Roberts, Jones made another Facebook video calling for the Liberty Center to pay the $5,000 reward for Roberts' arrest because the mall's security is not keeping their customers safe.
“I'm gonna go ahead and charge the Liberty Mall for the $5,000 reward. They should have to pay this, they don’t do the proper security out there, they don’t take care of it. Somebody’s gonna die,” said Jones.
Jones's public information officer, Janee Lambert, said Jones kept that promise. On Wednesday, he sent the invoice to Liberty Center.
We reached out to the Liberty Center to ask about the safety accusations. Marketing manager Alexis Bolton sent the following statement.
"At Liberty Center, the safety and security of our patrons, tenants, and employees is very important to us. We take any concerns regarding safety seriously and continuously evaluate and enhance our security measures in collaboration with local law enforcement and private security experts.
While we do not publicly discuss the specific details of our security protocols, as doing so could compromise their effectiveness, we want to assure the community that we invest significantly in maintaining a safe environment. Our security program includes both private security personnel and off-duty sheriff’s deputies, all at our own expense, underscoring our commitment to the well-being of our guests, retailers, and employees.
We welcome further discussions with Sheriff Jones, the Township and other local authorities to collaboratively develop solutions that benefit the entire community going forward."
We asked the Liberty Center if they plan on paying the $5,000 to the Butler County Sheriff’s Office but have not received a reply.
Jones promises to continue to find shoplifters in Butler County and bring their crimes to justice.
“I'm not gonna put up with it, but we’re going to arrest you, and we’re gonna find you, and we’re gonna charge you with a felony,” Jones said in Tuesday’s Facebook video.
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