Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – After selecting clothing in Walmart, a man took the merchandise to the customer service desk to complete an exchange, prior to even making a purchase. When officers arrived, the man took off running in an attempt to get away. He was unsuccessful, and a fast-footed officer took him into custody.
On Wednesday, February 25, around 11:30 a.m., police officers responded to Walmart after they were alerted to an active shoplifting in progress. Prior to arriving on the scene, Walmart staff provided police dispatch with a good description of the shoplifter, and he was spotted by officers upon arrival. Once the shoplifter saw the police officers, he bolted and ran across the parking lot. So officers gave chase and took Christopher Payne, 20, of Lebanon, into custody in front of Workout Anytime.
Further investigation revealed that Payne entered Walmart and began selecting items throughout the store. He then took $191.26 of merchandise to the customer service desk to return them for a refund, without purchasing the items first. In addition, he attempted to take 3 bottled drinks out of a cooler on his way out. All of Payne’s actions were recorded on Walmart’s surveillance system.
Payne was arrested and booked into the Wilson County Jail, charged with Theft of Property – Shoplifting and Evading. He is set to appear in court on April 23, 2015 on a $4,000 bond.
Christopher T. Payne, 20, of Lebanon
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