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Necklace theft leads to drug charge
After wearing necklace out of jewelry store, woman found with marijuana
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A couple was arrested on marijuana charges Friday afternoon after a woman came to a local jewelry store to return a necklace she stole two days prior.

According to reports from the Covington Police Department, 33-year-old Christie Harris came into Kay Jeweler’s the afternoon of May 13 and attempted to purchase a large amount of jewelry in a third party store credit account. She did not, however have the card needed to access the account and was instead attempting to do so with a social security number of the third party.

When the store employee determined that Harris was not authorized to make purchases on that account Harris, reportedly became angry and left the store, still wearing a white gold chain, valued at $570. Harris had left her own necklace that she had removed to try on the chain as well as her driver’s license when she stormed out of the store.

When officers attempted to contact Harris, two numbers were disconnected and the other was incorrect. The manager of the store kept Harris’ necklace so that if she returned she could exchange it for the store’s necklace.

Two days later Harris did return to the store. When officer’s arrived, they found her and a man named Michael McMillan, age 37. They asked Harris to speak with them outside the store and she complied. She reportedly admitted to accidentally leaving the store wearing the necklace and reportedly told officers she didn’t realize she had done so until later. She allegedly told officers that she was there to return the necklace to the jewelry store.

Harris reportedly told officers the necklace was in a Victoria’s Secret purse in her vehicle which was parked at Wal-Mart. When asked if the officer could search the red purse she had with her, Harris reportedly consented to the search. While officers did not locate the necklace, they did reportedly find some rolling papers and a small amount of loose marijuana.

The officers then asked for Harris’ permission to search her vehicle and she allegedly consented to that search as well. They transported her to the Wal-Mart parking lot and searched her 1993 Honda Accord for the missing necklace.

Once again, the necklace was not located, but on the passenger area officers did reportedly locate more loose marijuana on the upholstery and floorboard of the vehicle. Inside the trunk the officers located the Victoria’s Secret purse but the necklace wasn’t in there either. What they did find, according to reports, was more loose marijuana, a clear baggie of marijuana and some rolling papers. When the officers removed the drugs from her purse, Harris reportedly blurted out that the marijuana wasn’t hers and that it belonged to McMillan.

There were several pieces of jewelry in the bag but the necklace was not here. Harris reportedly told officers the necklace must be at her home in Walton County.

McMillan arrived at the store a few moments later in his 2001 red Ford F-150. When asked if the marijuana was his, he reportedly denied ownership. When asked how he and Harris went to the jewelry store, he allegedly told them they rode in his truck.

Based on that statement, officers asked McMillan if they could search his vehicle for the missing necklace and he reportedly consented. Although the necklace was not located, officers did reportedly find a hard pack of cigarettes which contained a clear baggie of loose marijuana, a marijuana roach and rolling papers.

McMillan and Harris were arrested and charged with possession of marijuana less than one ounce, both were transported to the Newton County Detention Center.