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Crime & Safety

Rampaging Woman Arrested Again

Police say Martina Strycek, who made headlines in March after smashing a BMW's windshield with a stolen shovel, is back in custody.

The shovel-wielding woman who went on a last March was arrested again Wednesday after causing more damage, according to a shift activity log from the :

At about 1550 hours, the suspect went into the on Soscol and knocked over a display of wine. 

She was extremely agitated and was yelling for someone to give her a phone. 

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She left the store after the vandalism, then went to where she stole several items. 

She was detained by Target security outside the store. 

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The suspect was agitated and confused, stating that she was the victim of identity theft.

Martina Strycek, 29, was booked at the N for burglary, vandalism and violating her probation for robbery and vandalism, according to the log.

Strycek's March 14 rampage began when she stole a shovel from a downtown hardware store and ended when police used pepper spray to subdue her after she tried to snatch two purses from shoppers, according to the police department's log of the incident:

At 1300 hours, witnesses from on Randolph Street advised a female was out of control and had broken out the windshield of a parked vehicle with a shovel from the store.

The female was followed by witnesses after she left the area. She caused a disturbance near Napa Valley Mercantile in the Town Center and then kicked the west door to Kohl's knocking it off its tracks.

The female then entered Kohl's and grabbed a female's purse, trying to break it away from the victim's grasp. Witnesses got between the suspect and victim. 

The suspect then threw around items and exited Kohls. Outside of Kohl's, she tried to rob another female for her purse, but was thwarted again by witnesses. 

An officer arrived and gave the suspect verbal orders, which she refused to obey.

After being given multiple warnings and commands, the suspect was pepper sprayed and taken into custody. She was identified as Martina Strycek, 7-24-82, (a) transient from Santa Cruz. She was cleared at ER and booked.

On Aug. 11, by as a fugitive wanted for felony grand theft and vandalism. She was arrested Aug. 23.

At that time, a Napa Patch user self-identified as Ed Sears commented that he had been in a relationship with Strycek in Salinas and that she is "unable to acquire the medication she needs.

"Out of desperation to get treatment she acts out. Still she doesn’t get it. I hope the system will one day GET TREATMENT for her so I can have my girl," Sears wrote.

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