A Lehighton woman with an active arrest warrant and history of retail thefts and drug problems is being charged after she was caught stealing at a Nesquehoning mini mart and later found to be in possession of drugs.

Nesquehoning police charged Zoey Bartenope with retail theft, unlawful possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia following an incident in June.According to the affidavit filed by officer Timothy Wuttke, on June 26 at 5:17 p.m., police were called by the assistant manager of the Fuel Up Minit Mart regarding Bartenope taking several items without paying for them.Video showed that Bartenope, who the manager identified, took at least five lighters, valued at $2 each; two packs of neon sparklers, valued at $3.17 each; and a box of tube cut cigarette tubes, $2.33; and placed them in a black and white bag she was carrying.The vehicle Bartenope left in was registered to a Nesquehoning resident.Wuttke went to the home on West Catawissa Street and spoke with the woman who owned the vehicle. The woman said Bartenope was a passenger and that they were just at the mini mart. The woman also said Bartenope had gone in to purchase a soda, but came out without one and was acting suspiciously.Bartenope had just left the home with another person, and police tried to locate her.Wuttke returned to the home and asked if Bartenope had the bag in the video, to which the woman told them it was at the residence. She brought the bag and police were able to see some of the items that had been stolen. Wuttke also observed empty wax packets, that are used for heroin, in plain view.An additional search of the bag revealed 10 yellow wax packets with brown powder in them, one white wax packet containing brown powder in it, a blue plastic baggy with a crystal substance in it and a green glass marijuana pipe. The drugs tested positive for heroin and methamphetamine.Police tried to locate Bartenope for several days and learned that she had a warrant out for her arrest by the Carbon County Sheriff's office.She was taken into custody and arraigned on Aug. 1. She is currently at the Carbon County Correctional Facility after being unable to post the $4,000 bail.She faces a preliminary hearing before Judge Casimir Kosciolek on Oct. 4.