SAFFORD – On March 9th, a Safford officer arrived at Walmart to view surveillance, provided by the Asset Protection employee, of a man entering and leaving the store with a Vizio Sound Bar, valued at $248.75, that he did not purchase. The video showed the man select the item and place it into a shopping cart. The man walked towards the grocery side exit, past all check out areas and out the exit. The officer was also shown footage of a man wearing the exact same clothing, minus a baseball hat, grab a handful of grocery bags and leave the store the day before. The officer recognized the man from previous contacts to be, Paul Lopez. After conducting a records check, the officer was informed that Lopez had a misdemeanor warrant for Possession of a Prescription Drug.
On March 10th, the officer was informed that Lopez was at a gas station on Thatcher Boulevard. When the officer arrived, he informed Lopez of the information he had of the shoplifting and asked Lopez if it was him. Lopez reportedly admitted that it was. He was read his rights, and then Lopez admitted to shoplifting the sound bar but denied stealing anything else. Lopez was advised of his warrant, arrested, cited and released for shoplifting.
