He made it out of the store — again.
This time, he didn’t make it far.
According to a report from the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched to Lowe’s in South Point after loss prevention reported a man inside the store who was trespassed and actively shoplifting.
Store staff told deputies they were watching the man on camera as he went through self-checkout and left the store with two large containers of decking screws, each valued at $119, without paying.
Loss prevention tracked the suspect as he left the parking lot and headed toward U.S. 52 in a black Ford hatchback.
A deputy positioned nearby spotted the vehicle and confirmed the license plate before initiating a traffic stop near the Solida exit.
The driver was identified as James Helton and was taken into custody without incident.
In plain view inside the vehicle, deputies could see the stolen merchandise, which was recovered and returned to the store.
Loss prevention confirmed they wanted to pursue charges and told deputies this was not an isolated incident.
Store staff provided surveillance footage from previous thefts involving the same suspect, including:
- A prior incident where two containers of decking screws were taken without payment
- Another case where items were scanned at checkout, but the screws were deliberately not scanned
In both cases, the value of the stolen items totaled more than $200.
After being arrested, the suspect complained of difficulty breathing and was evaluated by EMS before being transported to the Lawrence County Jail.
And the pattern…
Same store.
Same item.
Same plan.
Only difference this time — he got stopped before he got away with it again.