By Jon Johnson
SAFFORD – Yes, there are police reports regarding shoplifting every week, but it appears that this time of year the numbers increase exponentially.
Recently, Safford officers responded to three different shoplifting incidents at three different retail outlets on Dec. 10 and 11 alone.
Officers first were dispatched to Pollock’s Western Outfitters at 610 W. 5th St. on Dec. 10 at about 2:47 p.m. regarding a shoplifting incident.
According to store staff, a woman, later identified as Jamie Caswell, was seen stealing children’s clothes. Caswell and her adult son were later located at Tractor Supply Company at 2411 E. U.S. Highway 70 in Thatcher.
Caswell’s son initially denied his mother stole anything from Pollocks but later admitted the stolen goods were under the seat in the truck they were driving.
An amount of clothing worth $184.34 including tax was recovered, and Caswell eventually admitted to the theft, according to a police report.
While Caswell advised her son didn’t know anything about the shoplifting incident, she and her son were both trespassed from Pollock’s. Caswell was then given a citation for shoplifting and was released.
The following day, an officer was dispatched to Thriftee Food & Drug at 755 S. Central Ave. at about 10:51 a.m. regarding a shoplifting incident.
According to a Safford Police report, a manager was falling a male suspect as the suspect walked away from the store after allegedly stealing some items.
Officers encountered the suspect, identified as Eddie Sanchez, in an alley off 11th Street and placed him under arrest for felony shoplifting and criminal trespassing.
According to the store manager, Sanchez was viewed taking a store plastic bag and filling it with items before making his exit. Sanchez has been arrested previously on multiple shoplifting and trespassing cases.
Sanchez was arrested and booked into the Graham County Adult Detention Facility. The total amount allegedly stolen by Sanchez was $8.60.
The third incident happened later the same day as authorities were dispatched to Walmart at 755 S. 20th Ave. at about 5:49 p.m. after a manager identified a suspect who frequented the establishment multiple times earlier in the day.
The suspect, identified as Deonte Williams, reportedly had been stopped twice attempting to take items in a basket that had not been paid for and had made it out once with stolen goods.
The officer contacted Williams at his residence, and Williams reluctantly admitted to stealing the items to serve as Christmas presents for his family. Some of the stolen items included a tool set, work light, three picture frames, and a box of popsicles.
Williams was issued a citation for shoplifting and was informed that he was formally trespassed from shopping at Walmart. The recovered stolen items were then returned to the store.
