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LCTA to provide free rides, gifts to veterans Nov. 12

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Hanover Lions Club aids US Marines Toys for Tots program

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; A woman from Wilkes-Barre was arraigned Tuesday on charges she threatened security officers with a knife after fleeing a downtown department store with stolen merchandise and then hid the weapon in a body cavity.</p><p>City police said the incident took place in a courtyard on the campus of Wilkes University where Boscov&#8217;s loss prevention officers pursued Alissa K. Wright, 37, on Sept. 18.</p><p>According to a criminal complaint: </p><p>Three security officers followed Wright south on South Franklin Street after she stole items from the store. Wright pulled a knife, telling the security officers she was going to &#8220;(expletive) kill&#8221; them, stab them and slice their throats. She also claimed she had a gun and was going to shoot them.</p><p>Wright extended her arm while holding the knife and charged at the security officers, who retreated behind a bicycle rack.</p><p>Wright ran through a Wilkes University-owned building on South Franklin Street and exited a door to a courtyard. She hid behind a brick wall when she heard police sirens.</p><p>Wright then removed her shoes behind the brick wall and ran toward West South Street, where an officer found her squatting on the sidewalk.</p><p>She claimed she needed medical attention because she was bleeding but the officer did not see blood. She also claimed she was pregnant.</p><p>Police re-traced Wright&#8217;s escape path and did not locate the knife. A syringe was found in a handbag Wright carried.</p><p>An X-ray revealed Wright concealed the knife in a body cavity.</p><p>She stole sandals, leggings, sunglasses, jewelry, lingerie and a purse from Boscov&#8217;s.</p><p>Wright, of Mayock Street, Wilkes-Barre, was arraigned Tuesday by District Judge Michael Dotzel in Luzerne County Central Court on seven counts of retail theft, three counts of simple assault, two counts each of possession of drug paraphernalia and disorderly conduct, and one count each of false identification to law enforcement, open lewdness and indecent exposure. She was released on $5,000 unsecured bail.</p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Ed Lewis</p><p>elewis@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

Police: Shoplifter pulled knife on store security