Monday, October 17, 2016
Shoplifting investigation leads to recovery of merchandise, items stolen from Delaware; three face charges
Lawrenceburg Now
An investigation into a felony shoplifting case led local law enforcement officers to search a Waynesboro home, recover stolen merchandise along with items stolen from Delaware, and issue charges against three individuals.
The investigation began when officers with the Lawrenceburg Police Department were summoned to Walmart on North Locust Avenue at around 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, to look into the felony shoplifting allegations.
Store officials reported that a woman had come into the store to return an item that had been shoplifted two days prior, seeking reimbursement in the form of a gift card.
They told officers that security video showed two people leaving the business with thousands of dollars worth of merchandise Monday, without paying for the items. The woman in question had reportedly returned that day to “return” a saddle stool and was able to receive a gift card for $64.75.
Officers made contact with the three suspects at Murphy gas station in front of Walmart. They were traveling in a 2005 Toyota Highlander along with three children, ages 9, 5 and 4. During their investigation, officers report that they recovered around $1,000 worth of merchandise that was still inside the vehicle.
Detectives determined that one of the women, thirty-two year old Valerie Marie Hawkins, had been with the couple, identified as forty-four year old Nicholas Michael David and Ann Marie Scott, 33, at the time the merchandise was shoplifted, as were Scott’s three children. Hawkins admitted that she had received a gift card for returning the stolen item. She was later issued a citation for theft of merchandise by fraud and released to care for the children.
Scott was arrested on charges of theft over $1,000 and transported to the Lawrence County Detention Center. She was held under a bond of $10,000. David was incarcerated under the same charge. Because he had been banned from all Walmart premises multiple times in the past, he was additionally charged with one count of burglary. His bond was set at $20,000. Hawkins, Scott and David are all scheduled to answer the charges in General Sessions Court on November 28, 2016.
Hawkins, Scott, and David were reportedly from Delaware, but were residing at a home located at 745 Hog Creek Road in Wayne County. Detectives were assisted by deputies with the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department in conducting a search of the residence the following day.
They report finding the remaining stolen Walmart merchandise at the home. The stolen items had a combined value of $2,065.69. Walmart officials found, however, that $900 worth of the merchandise was in a “damaged” condition, meaning that they would be unable to resale them.
During the investigation, detectives learned that David had had items moved from his home to a neighbor’s property. He did so, they report “due to his knowledge that law enforcement would be responding to his address and he did not wish for them to find them.” The neighbor allowed officers to retrieve the items, including a Honda 250 cc four wheeler, Polaris Razor, and a Hustler zero-turn mower.
Reports show that these items were valued at $19,000. Deputies indicate that their investigation, “Revealed evidence that they were also stolen by having the VIN number and ignition tampered with.” They determined that the four-wheeler had been reported stolen by a Lewes, Delaware resident in August.
These items were transported to the police department pending further investigation. Officers reported that the owner of the four-wheeler was making arrangements to retrieve his property.
Officers report that, when confronted about the ATVs and mower, David denied any knowledge of them. Investigation in the case is still underway and additional charges are expected.
Because the children were present during the commission of the crimes, the case was referred for review by the Department of Children’s Services.
