If it ain’t nailed down (sometimes even if it is), determined thieves don’t take a day off. Nothing is safe from determined Sticky Fingers.
Panhandlers and Thieves Hit Local Businesses
Local businesses continue the fight against panhandlers, thieves, and other troublemakers.
Employees at the Dollar General on Gallia reported a man panhandling in front of the store just after noon. They asked the police to tell the man to leave. However, when officers arrived at the store, they couldn’t locate him.
Kroger employees told police there was a man in the frozen food section opening things and eating them. When police arrived at the store, employees declined to press charges. However, they did want the man barred from the property.
Repeat Oil Thief Hits Family Dollar
A repeat offender who always steals the same thing hit the Family Dollar in West Portsmouth.
The manager said a woman who had previously stolen from the store came in and stole four bottles of Pennzoil before running out the door. They said the woman had hit the store before and always took four bottles of oil. Witnesses said the woman had a driver in a running car waiting for her.
They gave officers the license plate for the getaway car. Officers said they would keep an eye out for the vehicle.
Thieves Make Off With Phone, Purse
Officers investigated multiple reports of sticky fingers in the Kendall/Gallia area. Just after 4 pm, officers responded to a report that someone had stolen a purse from Aldi. Police headed to the scene and took information for a report.
Fifteen minutes later, a caller reported a man with an open warrant at the Royal Inn. The caller said the man had stolen a phone earlier. He brought the phone back, and when they checked the phone, they learned he had an open warrant.
Witnesses last spotted him walking toward Speedway. Officers looked for him, but couldn’t find him.
Shoplifters Busted with Meth at Walmart
Officers headed to the South Point Walmart after store security said they were about to stop a couple of shoplifters in the parking lot.
When officers arrived, they discovered a man and two women in the loss prevention office. Security said they spotted the man handing items to the women that they concealed in their person. They then left the store without paying.
While speaking with the women, the deputy saw one woman pass a clear container to the other. The officer ordered her to place the item on the counter and noted it contained a crystal substance.
The deputy checked out the item, and it field-tested positive for meth. Officers took the women into custody.