Shoplifter will spend two years in prison

The convict shoplifted for a living over the past 24 years, logging 43 arrests in Boardman alone.

YOUNGSTOWN — The Ohio Reformatory for Women has a lot of activities to keep Lavette Boone’s mind off thievery.

The professional shoplifter — her record dates back to 1983 — has been sentenced to two years in prison followed by three years’ supervised release. The sentence was handed down Thursday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court by Judge Maureen A. Sweeney.

Mahoning County court records show most of Boone’s thieving took place at stores in Boardman. She also had a few cases in Austintown, Canfield and Youngstown.

In many cases at sentencing, judges ordered that Boone stay away from the various stores where she was caught stealing.

Boardman Lt. Don Hawkins said Boone’s first arrest in the township took place in 1983. She amassed 43 arrests there over the years, the final three this year.

Hawkins said Boone stole clothes, mostly, for resale.

“She did it for a living,” Hawkins said. “There’s other shoplifters out here involved in the same ring.”

He estimates 10 more “professionals” operate in the township. He said police will try for the same type of prosecution that befell Boone.

Although Boone, of Cambridge Avenue, pleaded guilty to three counts of felony theft in mid-October, she failed to show up at the Ohio Adult Parole Authority to participate in a presentence investigation as ordered by Judge Sweeney. The judge then issued a warrant and ordered that Boone be held in jail without bond pending sentencing. Records show she’s been in jail since Dec. 7.

Boone, who turns 43 on Dec. 21, remains in the Mahoning County jail pending transfer to the prison in Marysville.

The prison Web site shows it has a sewing shop that produces Ohio and American flags. Community service activities for prisoners include sign/poster making for various activities; quilts for Columbus Urban League; trash pickup for Ohio Department of Transportation; general maintenance for Windsor Manor, American Legion Hall, Village of Mechanicsburg; cleaning for Marysville Legion, Marysville Lions and several churches; landscaping for Ohio State Highway Patrol; bus cleaning for North Union Schools; caretaking at Ohio Wildlife Center; Team Greyhound Rescue; knitted items for Akron Children’s and Cleveland Metro hospitals; afghans for Warm Up America and more.