Theft attempts foiled by Walmart, GPD
Despite the ingenuity of a couple of theft suspects, three recent incidents again proved crime doesn't pay -- particularly at the Greencastle Walmart store.
Those three incidents resulted in the arrest of four suspects, all of whom ended up lodged in the Putnam County Jail.
The boldest attempt took place early Saturday afternoon and resulted in the arrest of Chris Lee Mitchell, 30, Camby.
City Police reported that Mitchell pushed a cart to the electronics section at the back of the store, where he allegedly loaded up a Blu-Ray player, a DVD player and a TV set.
He then rolled the cart to the restroom area and "hung out in the bathroom" a while before pushing the loaded cart out of the store and across the parking lot.
Mitchell, who was charged with theft, reportedly pushed the cart along the People Pathways trail until he reached the nearby shopping center housing Subway and American Rental. It was there he attracted enough attention that police were called.
GPD Reserve Officer Jerett Query reported that the suspect had unloaded the cart and was sitting on a bench, trying to convince passersby to give him a ride to his home.
When Query questioned the suspect about the Blu-Ray and DVD players and TV in his possession, Mitchell reportedly tried two explanations. One story was that he bought the items at a swap meet, while the other indicated he bought the items from someone in the Walmart parking lot for $100.
Total value of stolen items was listed at $544.
About 24 hours later, Officer Darrel Bunten was called to the store after a 32-year-old Indianapolis woman was reportedly caught with more than $120 in miscellaneous items for which she had not paid.
She had reportedly stashed several items into a pink beach bag, including a bottle of Maker's Mark bourbon, a Mickey Mouse T-shirt and sweatpants, fishing items, an umbrella, a bracelet and a watch.
The suspect reportedly told Officer Bunten that she was taking her children camping and wanted them to have a good time.
She was arrested at 2:30 p.m. Sunday.
The third incident at Walmart occurred shortly before 4 p.m. Friday and resulted in the arrest of two Greencastle women. Sgt. Christopher Jones investigated the incident.
Lodged in the Putnam County Jail on theft charges were Tracy Lee Boehm, 35, and Tammy Lee Jones, 29, who allegedly took more than $65 worth of miscellaneous merchandise, including such items as stickers, cards, plastic beads and electrical cords.