Bay Area lawmaker charged with shoplifting at Neiman Marcus

Democratic Assemblywoman Mary Hayashi of Castro Valley was charged with felony grand theft after being caught on video surveillance allegedly shoplifting more than $2,000 worth of merchandise from San Francisco’s Neiman Marcus store on Union Square, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. From Matier & Ross:

Hayashi, 45, who has served in the Assembly since 2006 — and is married to Alameda Superior Court Judge Dennis Hayashi — was arraigned Thursday in San Francisco Superior Court. She had earlier posted $15,000 bail.

Hayashi was stopped by Neiman Marcus’ security detail shortly after leaving the store around 12:15 p.m. Tuesday with a shopping bag that included three items worth $2,450 that she hadn’t paid for when she checked out at the register, the district attorney’s office said.

Prosecutors did not specify what the items were, but a source familiar with the case tells us they were leather pants, a black skirt and white blouse.