CALIFORNIA, Md. – A woman accused of shoplifting at a local Target was arrested on December 31, 2024, after authorities discovered she had provided the identification of a deceased individual in an attempt to conceal her identity and avoid prosecution. Laura Mae Connolly, 65, of Hollywood, Maryland, now faces multiple charges, including identity fraud and providing false identification to law enforcement.
According to the Maryland State Police, Trooper Kelsey responded to Target at 45155 Three Notch Road after loss prevention staff detained a woman who had allegedly attempted to leave the store without paying for merchandise valued at $127.14. Target declined to press theft charges, as the merchandise was recovered. However, the woman provided a Maryland driver’s license that investigators later determined belonged to a deceased individual. Despite this, the woman continued to insist that the identification was hers.
Further investigation revealed that the individual was actually Laura Mae Connolly. Authorities determined that Connolly used the false identification to conceal her true identity due to an outstanding warrant for her arrest. Connolly was taken into custody and charged with fraudulently displaying government identification, possessing and using false government identification, and identity fraud to avoid apprehension or prosecution.
Connolly was released later that day on a $1,000 unsecured personal bond. She is scheduled to appear in St. Mary’s County District Court on January 30, 2025, for trial.
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