It started with suspicious movement on store cameras — and ended with handcuffs, syringes, and a tow truck in the parking lot.
According to a report from the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched to Walmart after asset protection reported a possible theft in progress.
While reviewing live surveillance footage, deputies watched a man move through the store placing items into coolers and bags inside a shopping cart. The man was then seen removing the bags and hiding them on shelves throughout the store. At several points, he turned his body away from the camera, making it unclear whether additional items were concealed on his person.
A woman was also seen accompanying the man through the store, carrying a pack of socks.
After several minutes, the man exited the store without purchasing any items, leaving the shopping cart and concealed bags behind. He got into the driver’s seat of a silver Ford Edge parked outside. The woman was briefly lost on camera but later exited the store and entered the same vehicle on the passenger side — also without making a purchase.
Deputies stopped the vehicle at the end of the parking lot.
As deputies approached, drug paraphernalia was observed in plain view on the center console, including pieces of aluminum foil with burnt residue. The driver was identified as Nicholas Watts, and the passenger as Crystal Lucas.
Lucas told deputies she had a “rig” on her person. She was instructed to remove it for safety and handed over a hypodermic syringe, a crack pipe, and a shoelace being used as a tourniquet. Watts also provided deputies with a crack pipe and a hypodermic syringe.
Lucas admitted to regular heroin and crack cocaine use and told deputies she had used crack cocaine earlier that day.
A records check confirmed that both Watts and Lucas had active arrest warrants. Both were taken into custody.
The vehicle was towed and impounded. Deputies transported both individuals back to Walmart, where they were served with criminal trespass notices. It was also confirmed that Watts had previously been trespassed from the Walmart on State Route 60.
Watts was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of drug abuse instruments, and criminal trespass.
Lucas was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of drug abuse instruments.
Both were transported to the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office and booked without incident. Evidence was photographed and logged, and the hypodermic needles were safely disposed of.
What began as suspicious movement on a security monitor unraveled into a parking-lot stop — and a reminder of how often retail theft calls turn into something far more serious.