Woman wanted for violent shoplifting attack in police custody

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A woman accused of punching and hitting store employees to get away with shoplifting has been arrested.

Jane Ellen Marzell, 69, was arrested by Houston police Tuesday evening on a fugitive warrant. She's been charged with aggravated robbery, stemming from a shoplifting incident at the Ross Dress for Less, 1219 N. Fry Rd, the day before Thanksgiving.

Eyewitness News viewers, two sisters, shared video of Marzell's desperate attempt to get away. The video shows Marzell using a large pair of pliers to get a Ross employee to give up her hold on the front door.

"The worker had the pliers. She grabbed the pliers out of her hand and started hitting her hard," said Alexandria Trevino. "She was determined to get out. There was no stopping her."

According to Harris County court records, Marzell loaded up a shopping cart with 5 handbags and went to the back of the store to use the pliers to remove the security tags. When a store employee confronted her, Marzell punched her and then bolted for the door.

The video shows employees at the front of the store trying to keep Marzell from leaving. One employee suffered a broken thumb.

"You can tell she was shoplifting and wanted to get away," said Trevino's sister, Amber Rodriguez.

Marzell has at least four previous theft convictions in Harris County. She got away on November 25th. A Crime Stoppers tip Tuesday led to her arrest that evening.