Overland Park woman who admitted shoplifting truckloads now accused of bra thefts

An Overland Park woman facing sentencing for shoplifting truckloads of clothing from area retailers has been arrested again, accused of stealing bras from a Johnson County Kohl’s store.

The new arrest on Tuesday came just a day before Kelli Bauer, 47, was scheduled to be sentenced in Johnson County District Court.

Bauer, owner of a high-end jewelry and baby clothing business, had pleaded guilty earlier this year to three counts of theft, including a felony charge. She now faces one additional count of misdemeanor theft, accused of stealing an unknown number of bras from a Kohl’s store on Nov. 15.

The larger case unfolded in April last year, when police searched Bauer’s home — a $900,000 house in an exclusive neighborhood — and carried away in trucks more than 1,000 items of allegedly stolen clothing and other items, some still bearing store stickers and price tags.

According to court records, police began investigating after they found a Facebook posting for the sale of “high-end” clothing. Detectives visited Bauer’s home as buyers and tailed her to several stores, where they saw her steal items.

Bauer pleaded guilty in May to a felony charge of theft between $25,000 and $100,000, as well as two misdemeanor counts of theft of less than $1,000, as part of a plea agreement.

The plea agreement included recommendations for sentencing that are now in jeopardy because of the new arrest, according to Johnson County prosecutors.

Prosecutors will ask a judge to release them from the plea agreement and consider a heavier sentence because of the additional charge. Bauer is scheduled to be in court for both cases on Jan. 12.

Bauer had previously been twice convicted of stealing clothing from retailers, in 2007 and 2013.

This story was originally published November 23, 2016 at 11:44 AM with the headline "Overland Park woman who admitted shoplifting truckloads now accused of bra thefts."