Jon Johnson File Photo/Gila Herald: A man insisted his truck was stolen from Walmart, however, it was found in the parking lot a few rows away from where he believed he parked it.
By Jon Johnson
SAFFORD – A man called the police to report his truck had been stolen from Walmart but he apparently simply mistook where he had parked.
A Safford officer was dispatched at about 10:43 a.m. on April 8 to the store at 755 S. 20th Ave. regarding the reported theft of a white, 1991 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck.
Upon arrival, the truck’s owner said he parked in the third row a couple of spaces down at about 10 a.m. and when he exited the store his truck was nowhere to be found. The third row is in front of the garden center entrance.
The officer then met with store security and reviewed surveillance footage of the parking lot but there was no footage of the man parking a truck in the third row.
The officer then informed the man of his findings and questioned whether he might have parked in a different row, which drew a strong rebuke from the man.
“I don’t know what to tell you, that’s where I parked,” the man allegedly told the officer. The man stated he wished to press charges against whoever stole his vehicle if a perpetrator was found and he was given a ride back to his residence in Thatcher.
After dropping the man off at his home, the officer returned to the store and drove around the parking lot. At that time, the officer located the man’s missing truck parked in row 11.
The officer attempted to call the man to let him know his truck was in the parking lot but the man didn’t answer. The officer then returned to the man’s residence but did not locate him. So, the officer left a voicemail on the man’s phone and informed Graham County Dispatch of his findings in case the man called the police again.
