SAFFORD – Around 5:00 pm last Friday, dispatch advised authorities of a male Walmart shoplifter who had run towards KFC. When officers arrived in the area and located the man, they recognized him from prior police contact. The man reported he had attempted to steal string, matches, and a zippo lighter that came to a total of $29.65 but was caught. The man stated he had handed the items back to the employees and ran from the scene. While the officers were speaking with the man, they noticed fresh tract marks on his arm as well as the fact he was making uncontrolled movements and unable to stop moving. The man reported the last time he used meth was about two hours prior to the police finding him.
Meanwhile, another officer located a black backpack behind the Lollypop Shop, that the man stated was his. When the backpack was searched for additional stolen items, a chewing tobacco container was found with white residue inside the police recognized to by meth residue. The man stated the container was not his, he had agreed to hold it for another man but he knew what was inside and willingly agreed to hold onto it. The man was cited for shoplifting and possession of drug paraphernalia. The man was also trespassed from Walmart.
Later the substance tested positive for meth.
