SAFFORD – An officer was dispatched to Walmart on Sunday around 4:00 pm in reference to a theft that had allegedly taken place. It was reported to the officer by Asset Protection that two females were seen concealing items into a purse, and when they were contacted, the females fled the store on foot. The one last seen with the merchandise was seen headed south near Stone Willow and the Safford High School parking lot. The second female was actually described as a male who often dresses like a female but was not seen concealing merchandise, however, was accompanying the first female.
The officer caught up to the first female south of the Stone Willow housing development and the canal that runs adjacent to the Safford High School. When the woman was asked what she stole, she replied, “It was just shirt.” The woman was placed into handcuffs. She reportedly told the officer that she had ditched the shirt in the canal when she saw police pulling into the parking lot to contact her. After securing the woman in the back of the patrol vehicle, the officer recovered a black shirt and black pants. A bag of batteries inside a plastic grocery bag was also found near the clothing. The woman stated her accomplice had the batteries prior to their entrance into Walmart.
The officer returned to Walmart with the woman, where she was cooperative. Asset Protection gave a detailed statement on witnessing the female and the secondary party in the store, but that they were not seen concealing the batteries.
The woman was cited and released for Shoplifting, but was not trespassed at this time. The alleged accomplice was not facing criminal charges at the time of the report.
