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'Barbie Bandits' Facebook photo contributes to woman's arrest

EVERETT, Wash. — An Everett woman who posted a photo with the caption “Barbie Bandits” on Facebook has been jailed, accused of taking part in a burglary spree.

Everett police said 25-year-old Melissa Lindner and another woman committed a series of burglaries on the night of Feb. 10 and into the following morning.

According to a Snohomish County police documents, seven burglaries were committed at a strip mall in the 5700 block of Evergreen Way.

Police said Lindner was a former employee of a gold company in the building and was able to force her way inside.

Lindner and her accomplice forced their way into seven businesses in the building and stole property, the police report said.

Police documents said Lindner and her friend were taken into custody by Snohomish County deputies Feb. 12 as they fled another burglary near Snohomish.   The second woman was turned over to Everett police.

Officers said the second woman “provided a full confession” and told detectives stolen property was in Lindner’s house.

The police report noted that Lindner had bragged about the two being the “Barbie Bandits” on her Facebook page.

Lindner's Facebook page showed a photo posted on Feb. 9, of Lindner and another woman, both wearing sunglasses, jeans and dark sweatshirts while posed against one another. A caption in pink cursive writing saying Barbie Bandits emblazoned the top of the photo.  A post by Lindner underneath the photo said "The BEST of the BESTIES!"

A response from the other woman in the photo said in part, “Had so much fun doing our thing … (expletive) be ware (sic) the Barbie Bandits are here N we taking over!”

As of Thursday, the photo was still on the site.

Police said they recovered several items stolen in the burglaries during a search of Lindner’s home and vehicle.

After police established probable cause, Lindner was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of seven counts of second-degree burglary.

The second woman has not been booked into jail, and neither woman has been charged.