By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Police have recovered thousands of dollars in merchandise stolen from Walmart and arrested several people in connection with the thefts since the first of the year. The first incident took place in late January. Officer Kevin Reed, of the Presque Isle Police Department, arrested Chris Crawford Hyson-Tuttle, 26, of the Presque Isle area, after asset protection personnel at the Walmart Supercenter recognized him entering the store.
Video surveillance collected by store officials in the past showed Hyson-Tuttle allegedly stealing from the store, including an incident in December 2013. Images captured a man, believed to be Hyson-Tuttle, pushing stolen merchandise out of the building in shopping carts. Items reported stolen included games and video gaming equipment, which was believed to have been pawned locally or given to others.
Hyson-Tuttle is accused of stealing about $3,200 in goods, with police able to recover some of the merchandise as evidence. Hyson-Tuttle was charged with felony theft.
On Feb. 9 Walmart officials contacted police around 7:56 p.m. reporting a couple individuals pushing a cart of merchandise out of the store without paying.
Police responded and subsequently arrested two people for shoplifting.
Nathan Jones, 25, and an unidentified 16-year-old male, both of Caribou, were charged with felony theft.
Walmart loss prevention specialists told police they’d observed Jones and the teen exiting the business with numerous items, including a flat-screen television, without paying.
Police located the suspects in the parking lot and detained them. Officers recovered the items reportedly stolen, which were valued at approximately $1,200.
Jones, who was out on bail, is scheduled to appear March 22 in Caribou Superior Court. The teen, whose juvenile court date is May 1, was released into the custody of his mother.
Police were familiar with another individual Walmart reported shoplifting on Feb. 20. According to Chief Matt Irwin’s post on the PIPD’s Facebook page, Richard Churchill Jr., 22, of Presque Isle, attempted to steal a computer system, valued at several hundred dollars, from Walmart when he was caught. Irwin indicated Churchill was easy to identify, given his face had several stitches from an incident from the day before. He was charged with theft, criminal trespass and violating conditions of release and remains at the Aroostook County Jail awaiting his court date.
On Feb. 19, Churchill reportedly entered Stu’s Sight and Sound on Main Street, where he discussed renting computer equipment with store staff. But when the employee went to ring up Churchill’s purchase, Churchill grabbed some surveillance equipment and attempted to flee the business — smashing through the glass door in his attempt to escape. Police were able to follow the blood trail and subsequently summonsed Churchill and charged him with theft and violation of condition of release.
Churchill was taken to The Aroostook Medical Center where he required several stitches to close the wounds on his face. He was expected to be arraigned on March 19. Value of the property Churchill attempted to steal from the rental center was estimated at around $500.
