Alleged Walmart thieves arrested in Lamar

Two people are in custody after they allegedly tried to steal several items from the Wal-Mart in Lamar, Missouri.

On Saturday night, police officers responded to a call of a suspicious vehicle parked at Wal-Mart. An alert employee called after noticing a vehicle parked, with a bag covering the license plate.

A few moments after offices arrived, a male and female exited Wal-Mart through the side fire escape doors, which set off the fire alarm. The couple were pushing a shopping cart of merchandise and running toward the reported suspicious vehicle. The officers were able to detain the couple and quickly found that the items in the cart had not been paid for.

Officers also located a substance believed to be methamphetamine on the male. A further search located other drug paraphernalia items.

48-year-old David L. Taylor, of Springfield, Missouri, has been formally charged through the Barton County Prosecutor’s Office with Stealing and Attempt to Deliver a Controlled Substance. He is currently being held in the Barton County Jail in lieu of $25,000 bond.

44-year-old Sara J. Brown, of Pleasant Hill, Missouri, has been formally charged through the Barton County Prosecutor’s Office with Stealing. She is currently being held in the Vernon County Jail in lieu of $25,000 bond.

As is the case in all arrests, charges are based on probable cause and all persons are considered innocent until or unless proven guilty in court.

The Lamar Police Department encourages everyone to report suspicious activity, as in this case, an alert caller was responsible for the police being in the right place to stop a crime as it occurred.