Editor’s Note: The Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller website shows the cases are closed. Hise and Varney were each charged with petit theft of $100 or more and found not guilty. They were also arrested for grand theft and charges were not filed. This story was updated on July 22, 2024, to provide evidence that Varney was not found guilty of any wrongdoing.

Two FAU women’s volleyball players entered a fitting room of the Macy’s retail store located in the Town Center of Boca Raton with relatively empty Pacific Sunwear bags. When they exited the room, the bags were full, according to Boca Raton Police Department records.

On April 22, FAU students Emily Hise and Koreen Varney were arrested by Boca police for allegedly stealing over $1,400 worth of women’s activewear and Calvin Klein clothing from Macy’s.

According to Boca police, the retail store’s Asset Protection Representative Luca Rispoli observed “suspicious activity.”

The two were carrying large Pacific Sunwear bags that appeared to be empty. Rispoli said that he noticed them selecting items from the women’s activewear department. The two then entered an activewear fitting room, according to Boca police.

Boca police records state that when they exited, another Macy’s employee noticed several items were missing.

The FAU volleyball players were subsequently seen selecting items from clothing fixtures and entering fitting rooms. Two Macy’s employees checked each fitting room and found that multiple items were missing, according to Boca police.

“Rispoli advised the bags being carried by Hise and Varney were now noticeably larger,” Boca police reported. “Hise and Varney passed all points of sale never making any attempt to purchase the concealed merchandise.”

The Asset Protection representative recovered all of the stolen merchandise. According to Boca police records, Hise had $963.08 worth of goods, while Varney had $447.56 worth.

Boca police reported that the two stated they intentionally stole the items while working together and were both “extremely remorseful.”

They were placed under arrest and charged with grand theft and issued trespass warnings for Macy’s, according to Boca police.

On May 26, Varney appeared before the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida in Palm Beach County. According to her attorney Blandin Wright, she was a nolle prossed which means the case against her was dropped and she was not found guilty of any wrongdoing.

Hise was set to appear at the same court on June 8, but University Press was not able to receive an update on her charges.

FAU Athletics said it is aware of the situation but cannot comment on a pending legal matter.

Currently, it has not been made public if either player will receive punishment from the athletic program.

Joe Pye is the editor-in-chief of the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected] or tweet him @jpeg3189.