Monday, January 4, 2016
Security Personnel Continue To Crack Down On Shoplifting
Lawrenceburg Now
Security personnel at a local business are continuing their diligent efforts to curtail shoplifting with considerable success.
In past months employees of Walmart’s Loss Prevention department have filed numerous complaints with the Lawrenceburg Police Department after uncovering or intervening in instances of shoplifting. In some cases this has led to additional charges being issued.
Last week, officers with the Lawrenceburg Police Department were asked to respond to the local store on North Locust Avenue, regarding a man who was found to be inside after having been banned from the premises. Officers approached the man, twenty-nine year old Casey Adam Trapp of 1301 Liberty Avenue, Lawrenceburg, in the store’s garden center.
Officers report that Trapp “would not face them and appeared to be holding something in front of him so that they couldn’t see it.” Officers issued orders for Trapp to halt, however they report that he began to run toward the exterior door. He was warned that, should he not comply, an officer would deploy his taser, but continued his efforts to flee. An officer reports that he did deploy his taser as Trapp ran through the doorway, but did not strike him.
Reports indicate that Trapp fled on foot across the parking lot toward the nearby Manor Apartments, and into a small wooded area. Once additional officers arrived on the scene they began to search the area. They report finding Trapp lying on the ground next to a drainage ditch. He was taken into custody and transported to the Lawrence County Detention Center without further incident.
Reports indicate that when Trapp ran through the Garden Center doors, they sustained around $750 in damage. Trapp was booked under charges of evading arrest, vandalism over $500, and criminal trespassing. He has been scheduled an initial appearance in General Sessions Court on February 5, 2016.
In another incident, a Hohenwald man was arrested after attempting to fraudulently use another individual’s check to pay for purchases. Reports show that Joshua Kayo Phillips, 33, of 226 Windwood Lane attempted to pay for some $500 worth of merchandise with a check that bore the name of another man. Police officers report that when asked to show identification, Phillips walked away and went to the parking lot where he remained for some time.
Security personnel reviewed video footage and found that Phillips had been inside the store for more than six hours. During that time he had loaded three carts with merchandise, but had abandoned two before approaching the checkout.
Police officers made contact with Phillips in the parking lot. He told them that he had been inside the store, but had lost his keys and was waiting on a ride. Officers report that they could clearly see two watches lying on the seat beside Phillips. He admitted that he had taken them from the store without paying for them.
Phillips told officers that he had attempted to pay for the merchandise “with a check a friend gave him,” but was unable to do so. A checkbook belonging to another man was found inside his vehicle. He eventually admitted to officers that he and a friend had hatched a scheme to obtain money. He said that they had planned for him to purchase merchandise using the checks. He said that his friend was supposed to return the merchandise to obtain cash. He said that the checkbook belonged to his friend’s grandfather.
Phillips was transported to the Lawrence County Detention Center where he was issued a citation charging him with shoplifting. He was also served with an outstanding warrant issued in Lewis County for failure to pay child support. He was then incarcerated pending pickup by Lewis County authorities.
In addition to these charges, several other individuals were cited in various shoplifting incidents that took place in past weeks. Each is scheduled to appear in Lawrence County General Sessions Court on January 25, 2016. They include the following:
*Tonya Ann White, 42, of 827 Gilbreath Drive, Lawrenceburg was charged with shoplifting after admittedly swapping several items from their original packages into other packaging “in an attempt to get them at a lower price.” She had reportedly attempted to fraudulently obtain $97.55 worth of merchandise including an iPod cover, brushes, and floral items.
*Stephanie Amanda Young, 37, of 105 Lee Drive, Columbia was charged with shoplifting and trespassing after she was observed by security personnel attempting to conceal Crest White Strips and a radio connector, valued at $29.93, on her person and leave with them. Officers found a loaded syringe containing a red color liquid on her person, as well. She had previously been banned from the premises of all Walmart stores in the wake of a separate shoplifting incident.
*Cynthia Carolina Rosson, age 50, of 4019 Blooming Grove Road, Five Points was cited for shoplifting after loss prevention personnel observed her attempting to conceal $129.37 worth of merchandise (boots and clothing), and exit without paying.
*Stephen Andrew Ayers, age 52, of 2000 Massey Avenue, Lawrenceburg was issued charges, along with forty-seven year old Tracey Lynne Grinnell, 47, of 536 Admiral Circle, Lawrenceburg. The pair is accused of attempting to steal a quilt, fish hooks and pliers. Ayers, officers report, appeared to be intoxicated at the time and was in possession of two cans of beer. Both were cited for shoplifting. Ayers was incarcerated on charges of public intoxication.
*Danielle Reigh Ashworth, 32, of 14 Goodhope Road, Lawrenceburg was cited for shoplifting after reportedly attempting to leave the store with three bottles of cologne with a combined value of $53.91.
*Brandi Leighanne Norwood, 29, of 8974 Earl Road, Mt. Pleasant, was cited for shoplifting and was escorted off of, and banned from, the premises when she attempted to leave the store without paying for a knife kit and pair of jeans valued at $38.76.
*Bonham James Dupriest, 18, of 208 Plummer Street, Lawrenceburg, and Clinton Levi Tease, 18, of 151 Hughes Road, Lawrenceburg were cited for shoplifting after attempting to leave the store without paying for a man’s jacket and hat valued at $26.58.
*Chassidy Sue Smith, 23, of 5355 South 48 Creek Road, Waynesboro, and Lindsey Suzanne Adams, 23, of 743B Hog Creek Road, Waynesboro, were cited with shoplifting when they attempted to steal $59.28 worth of baby clothes.
