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There was no video footage of her in the store and they couldn’t find any merchandise on her, but she still ended up in jail April 10.

Sweetwater Police Officer Jarren Turpeinen said he went to the Rural King on Main Street just after 3 p.m. and talked to employees who said a woman had left Rural King and went into the Ingles next door.

Turpeinen said employees pointed out a woman in the store, later identified as Melissa Hodge, and said she was the one who had been stealing from the store.

Turpeinen went over to Hodge and asked her about the accusation. She denied it and Turpeinen said she didn’t have anything on her and security footage from the store didn’t show her inside.

But Turpeinen still arrested her after he ran a check on her name and found out she was wanted in Knox County, though he didn’t specify what for.

But once he got her to the jail, Turpeinen said a thorough search of her turned up a hidden pair of Levi’s Classic Fit Jeans on her.

Turpeinen contacted Rural King and told them about the pants and an employee said the pants did belong to the store and were worth $54.99.

He also found out Hodge had been banned from the store in 2024.

Hodge, 36, County Road 275, Niota, was charged with burglary.

michael.thomason@advocateanddemocrat.com