Red Wing school board member accused of shoplifting from Target

A Red Wing Public Schools Board member is accused of shoplifting more than $500 worth of goods from the local Target over several months earlier this year.

Rachel Marshall Schoenfelder, 49, was charged last week with a gross misdemeanor for eight alleged shoplifting incidents from March to July where she’s accused of not paying for items in her cart at Target’s self-checkout line.

According to court records, Schoenfelder was caught by Target personnel on July 18 attempting to leave with more than $150 worth of goods in a reusable bag she never paid for, including three books, a number of chocolates and men’s deodorant. A court complaint states Schoenfelder admitted to staff she had purposefully not paid for the items in the bag.

Target staff reported Schoenfelder to police, calling her a “known shoplifter” who had been caught shoplifting on camera at the self-checkout line seven other times since March, according to court records. The items she allegedly stole include various foodstuffs, clothing, household supplies and toys such as Pokemon cards and a Lego Darth Vader. Court documents allege she put items in a reusable bag in several instances.

Schoenfelder admitted to officers shoplifting on July 18 and the other incidents, according to court records. She allegedly told police she knew it was wrong but did it “because things were becoming more expensive.” Target staff barred her from the store and served her a trespass warning.

Schoenfelder was elected to her first term on the school board in 2022 and has previously served on the Red Wing Public Library Board. She was not immediately available for comment.