Thieves use emergency exit to take $400 in merchandise

GONZALES — Police are investigating a pair of thefts that occurred at Walmart in recent weeks, as well as a report of credit/debit card abuse.

At 9:09 a.m. Oct. 26, Officer Travis Sowell was dispatched to Walmart in reference a theft, Capt. Allen Taylor reported. Upon arrival Sowell learned from the store’s asset protection manager that an employee had noticed the sporting goods emergency door was open and that the alarm was going off. There was also an empty shopping cart in the doorway.

Video footage showed two men exit a red car and enter the store, taking sporting goods items and placing them in the shopping cart, Taylor said. They loaded the items in the car and drove off.

According to Taylor, the estimated value of the stolen items was $400. The items included a 22” Bostitch tool pouch, red basketball shirts, Tzumi bluetooth wireless stereo earplugs, a 22” Samsung TV, a Sony DVD player and an 18-volt drill.

Anyone with information on the theft is asked to call the Gonzales Police Department at 672-8686.

Another Walmart theft was reported that day, with Officer Victor Izaguirre learning from asset protection that she had a surveillance video from Oct. 24 showing a red truck pulling up to the back of the store. The truck pulled up to the used batteries cage, with two suspects getting out and cutting the cage’s security cable. Taylor said they took approximately 20 batteries and left the scene. The case is currently under investigation.

Police investigate report of credit/debit card abuse

At 12:44 p.m. Oct. 30, Officer Sowell met with a victim at the police department who said his bank had contacted him about several recent purchases on his debit card. The man told officers he did not make the purchases, Taylor said.

The victim also said the card had been used at several locations — but only one location in Gonzales, that one involving multiple transactions at Pizza Hut. Taylor said the case is under investigation.