Two sisters from Florida were arrested earlier this month after deputies say a routine evening at a Target in Davenport turned into a coordinated attempt to walk out with nearly $2,500 in merchandise. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office charged 19-year-old Afnane Kamel and 32-year-old Hala Kamel with grand theft and conspiracy to commit grand theft.

This Wasn’t The Heist Of The Century

Deputies responded to the store on Grandview Parkway around 9 p.m. on Nov. 4, after Target’s loss-prevention staff detained the two women. By the time law enforcement arrived, the sisters were already sitting in the back office. According to the affidavit, surveillance footage showed the pair entering the store around 7:30 p.m. Loss-prevention employees told deputies they watched the sisters move quickly through several aisles, making “rapid selections” and filling two shopping carts. At one point, the employee said he saw them pull Target bags from shelves, split them up, and lay them across the merchandise in an effort to hide their haul.

They Almost Got Away

The affidavit notes that just before 8:30 p.m., both women pushed the bag-covered carts toward the exit, passing every register without stopping. The same employee is seen on video intercepting them at the door before escorting them to the loss-prevention office.
In total, deputies say the sisters attempted to leave with $2,487.70 in unpaid merchandise.

The Women Immediately Tried To Pay For The Items

According to deputies, the women immediately offered to pay for everything once confronted. “They spontaneously stated they could pay the amount owed in order to get out of trouble,” the affidavit says — an admission that did little to change the outcome. After being read their Miranda rights, both sisters allegedly acknowledged what happened. Deputies say they admitted the decision to steal wasn’t planned beforehand; instead, they made the choice while they were already inside the store.

The Sisters Are Free… For Now

The Kamels were arrested and taken to the Polk County Jail, where they later posted bond — each on a slightly different amount, according to court records. Sheriff Grady Judd didn’t mince words in a statement about the arrest. “When you walk into a store and try to leave with nearly $2,500 worth of unpaid merchandise, that’s not a mistake — that’s a crime,” he said, crediting the “vigilant associate” who stopped the pair at the door. The case now moves into the courts.