Kansas woman admits stealing thousands in merchandise

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A suburban Kansas City woman with a history of shoplifting admitted in court Tuesday that she stole tens of thousands of dollars of clothing and merchandise she was peddling out of her nearly $1 million home.

Kelli Bauer, 46 and of Overland Park, Kansas, pleaded guilty in Johnson County to a felony theft count that alleged she stole between $25,000 and $100,000. Bauer also pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor theft counts.

Sentencing for Bauer, who has been under house arrest as a condition of bond, is scheduled for July 20.

Bauer was charged last year after police found stolen merchandise in her home during a search prompted by her Facebook posting for the private sale of more than 1,000 pieces of "high-end" women's clothing.

Bauer showed undercover officers clothes — many with tags still on them — hanging on a rack and folded on a bed in an upstairs bedroom, according to court records. Bauer told the officers that she was selling the items because she was a "compulsive shopper" and had lost weight, the court documents said. The officers bought several items, including what Bauer said was a fake Louis Vuitton bag for $50.

As part of the investigation, detectives also followed Bauer and said they saw her stealing items from several stores.

During an earlier court appearance in the case, Bauer was ordered to follow mental health recommendations, including the taking of prescribed medication.

Court records show Bauer was charged in 2007 with stealing clothing and other merchandise from three stores within 72 hours and in 2013 with stealing clothing from a retailer.

In the 2007 case, she pleaded guilty to two reduced charges of misdemeanor criminal deprivation of property and was placed on probation, court records show. As a condition of probation, she was required to serve seven days in jail and receive mental health treatment, records show.

She was again placed on probation after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge in the 2013 case.