A Columbia Heights woman sped away from a Woodbury store with a cart full of stolen merchandise, leading officers on a high-speed chase that ended in Saint Paul, according to charges.

Cynthia Denise Elmore, 60, faces charges of fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle and theft of movable property without consent.

According to the complaint, on September 23, 2026, a Woodbury police officer saw a woman exit the JCPenney store in Woodbury with a cart full of unbagged merchandise. The woman, later identified as Elmore, began tossing items into a vehicle at a fast pace after spotting the officer. A store clerk told the officer that Elmore had entered the store with some items to exchange but left with more merchandise and never made a purchase.

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The officer watched as Elmore’s vehicle rapidly left the parking lot, driving the wrong way around a traffic circle. The officer pursued her in his squad car and saw the vehicle run a stop sign and a red light, cutting off several other vehicles and nearly causing a crash. When the officer activated his lights and siren, Elmore did not stop.

Instead, she continued at speeds over 80 miles per hour, turned into another business parking lot, nearly struck the squad car and then sped back onto the street, ignoring all signals to stop.

The pursuit ended in Saint Paul, where officers apprehended Elmore. Officers noted that she had constricted pupils and appeared fidgety.

Without prompting, Elmore told officers, “I did it. I’m the one you want. I stole some kids clothes.” In a Mirandized statement, she admitted to stealing clothing from JCPenney and fleeing from law enforcement. She also disclosed that she struggled with substance and alcohol abuse.

A warrant was executed for a sample of Elmore’s blood or urine, and she provided a urine sample after being informed that refusal is a crime. The complaint says the sample will be sent to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension for analysis.

JCPenney asset protection confirmed that Elmore took $677.83 worth of merchandise past all points of sale without paying. Officers recovered the stolen merchandise from her vehicle and returned it to the store.

The charges were filed Thursday, September 24, in Washington County District Court.

About This Charge

Minnesota’s general theft statute is § 609.52. Penalties scale with the dollar value taken: more than $500 is a gross misdemeanor, more than $1,000 is a five-year felony and more than $5,000 is a 10-year felony. Theft of a firearm, or a theft of more than $35,000 by swindle or another listed method, carries up to 20 years. Burglary is charged separately under § 609.582.

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Jurisdictional Context

Washington County, on the eastern edge of the Twin Cities metro, is served by the Washington County Attorney’s Office through the Tenth Judicial District. Felony cases are heard at the Washington County Government Center in Stillwater.