Police: 2 Wal-Mart thefts appear to be connected
[gtxvideo vid=”c31xurqs” playlist=”” pid=”OTSe9U1y” thumb=”http://player.gtxcel.com/thumbs/c31xurqs.jpg” vtitle=”Wal Mart Theft Connection PKG”]
HUNTINGDON, Tenn. — Investigators believe one crew of criminals is responsible for two smash-and-grabs inside West Tennessee Wal-Marts. Four men and a possible fifth suspect in a getaway car are suspected of taking nearly $8,000 in electronics from the Wal-Mart stores in Huntingdon and Lexington. “They’re doing it in the early morning hours when the stores are down to skeleton crews,” Commander Johnny Hill with the Huntingdon Police department said. Hill said the loss prevention unit typically doesn’t work those early morning hours. The thieves took around $5,000 in cell phones from Huntingdon and tablets worth nearly $3,000 from Lexington. In both cases, the men smashed the electronics case with a hammer. Hill said the men hid the hammer close to the case in a prior trip to the store. “They are organized in what they’re doing, and they’re pretty good at it. They’re not in the store long,” Hill said. The group then dashes out a fire exit and into a waiting car. “They’re actually moving around in different vehicles going from store to store,” Hill said. On July 29 in Huntingdon, investigators said the men used a silver van with severe damage to the passenger side and expired Mississippi plates. Lexington police released a photo of a silver Honda Accord they believe to be the getaway car. Some shoppers said the theft ring could impact consumers. Barbara Hamm shops at Wal-Mart regularly. “It is just horrible that all of these people go out here and steal stuff,” she said. “Thousands and thousands of dollars, and then we have to pay for it.” Officers say it’s possible the suspects are local but not likely. “They know they’re on video when they’re in these stores. A lot of these guys are from out of town thinking nobody’s going to recognize them,” Hill said. Police believe the merchandise is being sold online or directly on the streets. The men are described as black males in their teens or early twenties. The suspects face felony charges for the amount of merchandise taken from the Huntingdon store. Anyone with information is asked to contact Huntingdon police at 731-986-2906 or Lexington police at 731-968-6666.
