If there were a loyalty program for creative shoplifting schemes, Jesse James Carpenter would probably have earned platinum status by now.
According to the New Boston Police Department, Carpenter is back at it again with what officers described as another attempt to game the system — this time with a brazen “return scam” at Walmart.
Police say Carpenter recently walked into the store with an accomplice and began confidently loading merchandise into a plastic Walmart bag he brought from home.
Meanwhile, his partner allegedly took up position at the end of the aisle pretending to compare prices on 90% off leftover Valentine’s Day candy while actually keeping an eye on store employees.
Once the items were neatly bagged, Carpenter reportedly marched straight to the customer service desk and attempted to return the merchandise for cash.
There was just one small problem.
He had never paid for any of it.
Police say Carpenter tried to return the unpaid merchandise without a receipt and without hesitation, apparently hoping the store would simply hand over the money.
The plan didn’t work.
After realizing the scheme had failed, Carpenter left the store still carrying the unpaid items, jumped into a vehicle driven by an accomplice and fled the scene.
Investigators say Carpenter has now racked up more than $9,000 in thefts and fraudulent returns across multiple Walmart locations in the Tri-State area.
Police are now asking for help identifying the unknown accomplice who was with Carpenter during the latest stunt.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the New Boston Police Department at 740-456-4109.
A Familiar Name for Local Police
For longtime readers, the name Jesse James Carpenter is nothing new.
His latest alleged stunt is just the newest chapter in a series of increasingly bold retail theft cases across the region.
Last summer, Carpenter and partner Sixx Bentley were linked to another Walmart theft in South Point, where asset protection officers spotted the pair allegedly stuffing merchandise into Walmart bags before making a run for the parking lot.
The duo reportedly jumped into a black Lincoln SUV getaway vehicle, but the plan quickly fell apart when Bentley was detained by store security.
When police searched her bag, they reportedly found stolen merchandise, syringes, and a vial of brown liquid that tested positive for fentanyl.
But even that wasn’t the pair’s most memorable caper.
Over the past few years, Carpenter and Bentley have been connected to a string of local incidents — from Kroger thefts in Portsmouth, to a chaotic Walmart getaway that nearly struck bystanders, to a bizarre case where an elderly Pedro man reported his car stolen after the pair disappeared with it for five days.
That October 2024 Walmart incident eventually led to grand jury indictments for robbery, assault and theft.
“Return King” Reputation Growing
Now, with the latest attempt to turn unpaid merchandise into instant cash, police say Carpenter appears to be continuing the same pattern.
And if history is any guide, investigators say it may not be the last time his name pops up in a police report.
For now, authorities are still trying to identify the accomplice who helped with the latest Walmart scheme.