Police wrap up combative downtown Athens shoplifter

By Joe Johnson

Athens police last week needed to use its WRAP restraint system on a woman who they arrested for stealing from a downtown business,

The incident happened on the night of May 20th at

Magic Wines on West Broad Street where 36-year-old Tieleah Niechole Browner argued with the clerk and left without paying for a bottle of Gatorade.

The clerk didn’t call police until Browner returned to the store a few hours later.

She refused to identify herself to police officers, with whom she argued and pushed away.

“Tileah was brought to the ground to make it easier to arrest her,” an officer said in a police report. “She continued to be combative and kicked officers who were attempting to detain her. Because of her thrashing and kicking the decision was made to bring out the WRAP to assist in apprehending her. After placing her in the WRAP, she was taken to the Clarke County Jail.”

Browner was booked in on charges of theft by shoplifting and felony obstruction “for willingly resisting and hindering while offering violence to officers.”

i