A Virginia man was caught allegedly trying to steal over a thousand dollars worth of merchandise from a Walmart in Chesterfield County — but his timing was terrible.
Nearly 50 police officers and sheriff’s deputies were at the store on Sunday for the county’s annual “Shop With a Cop” event, a holiday tradition where members of law enforcement partner with underprivileged children and help them pick out gifts.
As the event was in full swing, a Walmart employee alerted the cops to a shoplifting in process inside the store and the officers sprung into action.
“A member of the staff at Walmart came up to us and informed us they had a shoplifting in progress,” Chesterfield County Police Lt. James Lamb told WTVR. “Between the sheriff’s department and police officers we had about 50 uniform personnel at the store.”
The suspected shoplifter, later identified as 32-year-old Hector D. Velazquez Maldonado of Chesterfield County, had attempted to steal nearly $1,400 worth of items from the store, Lt. Lamb told reporters during a press conference.
Cops viewed the suspect on the store’s security footage concealing merchandise and attempting to leave the store, Lamb said.
More than a dozen officers cut him off at the back of the store, surprising the suspect.
“As we approached from different directions, he tried to escape out the back of the store where he was apprehended,” Lamb said. “I think he was stunned.”
Lamb said the officers themselves were shocked that the suspect even attempted the brazen crime given the number of police cars in the parking lot and the overwhelming police presence inside the store.
“We had 30-40 marked patrol cars in the parking lot,” Lamb explained.
“When we found his vehicle, it was facing where our cars were parked, so he would have had to see them. It seems it just didn’t matter to him.”
Maldonado was taken into custody and faces a felony charge of grand larceny.
According to WTVR, Maldonado had active warrants for failure to appear in court on a previous shoplifting charge, as well as other open larceny cases in the county.
