Walmart cameras see shoppers & shoplifters’

SAFFORD – Last Monday, a man was seen at Walmart entering the store with a shopping cart, collecting merchandise throughout the store totaling over $210. The man was then seen walking past the registers without paying for the items. When the man passed the door jams with the merchandise still in the basket, the Walmart door employee contacted him and asked for a receipt. The man stated he did not have a receipt. He then went back into the store and continued placing more items into the basket. The man then went to the other entrance where he left the basket. The man left the store and then came back again a second time. He was seen briefly looking around the entrance and then left the store walking towards 20th Avenue.

When an officer spoke with the asset protection employee, the man’s identity was recognized and confirmed through MVD records. The officer went to the address on file, but was told the man was not home. A short time later, dispatch informed the officer the man had called asking to speak with the officer that was at his residence earlier. The officer called the man and agreed to meet him at his residence.

The officer arrived at the man’s residence where he asked the man if he had been at Walmart earlier that day, and the man stated that he had. When the man was asked why he did not pay for the items in his basket, the man stated he was shopping and wanted to get a drink from the vending machines which were located past the door jams, and that he had done this unintentionally with the items in his basket when he was contacted by the store employee. The man reported that he continued to shop and while he was headed towards the registers to pay for the items, he realized that he did not have his wallet with him and that he abandoned the cart. Throughout the conversation, the man expressed several times that it was an unintentional act.

The officer sent their findings to be reviewed for possible charges.

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