South Dakota woman kidnapped at gunpoint and forced to drive to Walmart store

Occurred November 8, 2013.


A man broke into a woman's home in Rapid City, South Dakota, and forced at gunpoint to drive him to the local Walmart store with the apparent intention of making her get money for him.  Once at the Walmart parking lot, she escaped and sought help.  The man fled.

From an article:

The woman discovered the stranger in her Van Buren Street home about 5:30 p.m., according to police spokeswoman Tarah Heupel. The man walked out of the bedroom with a gun and made her take him to Walmart. 

At Walmart, the woman fled into the store and sought help from employees who called police.
The suspect ran from the scene. 

During a follow-up investigation at the woman's house, police discovered a laptop taken from a nearby home about 2:30 p.m.  

In that instance, the resident discovered his back door was kicked in and confronted the suspect, whom he chased out of the house before calling police.

This is apparently the same Walmart where there was a fatal stabbing in 2012.

Walmart.  Save money.  Die faster.

Louisiana man robbed and kidnapped at gunpoint in Walmart parking lot

Occurred November 8, 2013.


A man gave a ride to a homeless man, Edward "EJ" Belcher, 37, to the local Walmart in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  Once at the Walmart store, though, Belcher pulled out a handgun and robbed the victim of his money and debit card, kidnapped him, then went on a spending spree with the victim's debit card before finally returning the victim unharmed.

Belcher was later arrested.

From an article:

Later that morning, the victim decided to go to a nearby Wal-Mart and for unknown reasons, Belcher accompanied him, the warrant says. 

On the way to the store, the victim stopped to withdraw $60 from an ATM. When the pair arrived at the Wal-Mart in the victim’s vehicle, Belcher pulled out a revolver and demanded the victim’s money, the warrant says. 

The man gave Belcher $112, to which Belcher replied, “This is all you got?” according to the warrant. 

The man, whose age was not available Thursday night, handed over his wallet, to which Belcher said, “What’s on your debit card?” The man begged Belcher not to take all his money, saying he had children to support, according to his account in the warrant. 

The victim told authorities Belcher then pressed the gun against his head and demanded the PIN to the debit card. Belcher then ordered the victim to drive to a house on Florida Boulevard, where Belcher led him out of the vehicle at gunpoint and into the house. 

There, the victim was told to sit on the couch and be quiet, the warrant says. Belcher then told someone in the house to watch over the victim while Belcher left and racked up nearly $500 on the man’s debit card. 

The warrant doesn’t go into detail about what happened at the house while Belcher was gone, and a spokeswoman for the Sheriff’s Office couldn’t be reached late Thursday. 

Belcher returned later that morning to pick up the victim and take him back to the Super 8, the warrant says, where Belcher dropped off the victim and said he’d drive the victim’s vehicle to a parking lot behind the Olive Garden on Siegen Lane and leave it there. 

The victim exited the vehicle and ran into the motel, then to the parking lot behind Olive Garden, where he found his car. When he returned back to the motel, he found deputies speaking with his wife, who had reported him missing earlier that morning.

Walmart.  Save money.  Die faster.

Gun-wielding vigilantes hold shoplifters at bay at Georgia Walmart

Occurred November 8, 2013.


Two drunk men shoplifted meat from a Walmart store in Thomasville, Georgia.  

Two citizens confronted the men in the parking lot, and when they tried to flee, the citizens rammed their car, then held the men at gunpoint until police arrived.  The citizens had conceal carry licenses.

From an article:

Robert Thurman, 38, and Larry King, 27, have been charged with felony shoplifting. 

Police said the suspects tried to escape by car Thursday night, but two citizens in the parking lot used their own vehicles to corral the men. The suspects tried to drive off, but the citizens rammed their vehicle, disabling it. 

Then, the suspects got out of the car, and the citizens held them at gunpoint until the police could arrest them, police said. No one was injured. 

Both citizens were armed with licensed weapons, said Wade Glover, a commander with the Thomasville Police Department. 

Glover said the suspects were intoxicated.

Thomasville is also the scene of a shooting and attempted homicide at a Walmart store in April, 2012.

Walmart.  Save money.  Die faster.

Armed suspects rob Pennsylvania Walmart

Occurred November 8, 2013.

Scene of armed robbery at Boothwyn Walmart (source)

(UPDATED -- see below)

Three men, armed with a shotgun, held up employees at a Walmart store in Boothwyn, Pennsylvania.  They fled with cash, but were quickly caught by police.

Luckily no shots were fired.

From an article:

Police say the masked gunmen held up the Walmart in the Larkins Corner Shopping Center in Boothwyn around closing time. 

They got away with a large amount of cash, but they didn't get very far. 

Police caught up with the suspects after Walmart security gave them a detailed description of the three men and the getaway vehicle. 

Upper Chichester Police caught up with them near Township Line Road and Carter Avenue in Chester Township. 

A shotgun and the cash were found in the car. 

All three suspects were taken into custody.

Walmart.  Save money.  Die faster.


UPDATE (11/12/13):  The three suspects have been named and charged.  One was a former employee of the Walmart store.  More details from an article:

Employees and customers were shaken, but not injured during the robbery, which took place at 11:15 p.m., about 45 minutes before closing. Two employees had begun collecting cash and checks from the registers at the front of the store when two men — their faces and heads covered — entered through the exit door, according to the affidavit of probable cause written by Detective John Montgomery. 

The two men, later identified as Parker and Cottman-Jordan, allegedly accosted the two employees who had placed some $29,000 in cash and $50,000 in checks into a locked box in a shopping cart. The suspect ordered the employees to let go of the shopping cart, but the employees refused. Cottman-Jordan, who was wearing a red hoodie, then allegedly pulled out a black rifle and pointed it at the employees, again ordering them to let go of the cart. 

Fearing for their lives, the employees complied. Parker and Cottman-Jordan fled with the cart containing the cash and checks, according to the court document. 

Witnesses told police the two suspects pushed the cart to an occupied gray or silver Dodge, which was waiting outside of the store. The two tossed the contents of the cart into the trunk, jumped into the car and sped away, according to police. Witnesses said the trunk of the Dodge was still open when the car drove away. 

Information about the getaway car was broadcast over police radio. 

Several minutes later, Trainer Police Officer Matthew McCusker spotted a silver Dodge Avenger leaving the Conchester Highway at Township Line Road at a high rate of speed, its trunk still open. McCusker radioed for backup, then stopped the vehicle at Carter Road with assistance from officers from Trainer, Lower Chichester and Marcus Hook. 

When police approached the car, several blue deposit bags reportedly were seen in the open trunk, the affidavit states. 

Loper, the driver of the car, was identified as a former Wal-Mart employee, police said. He, Parker and Cottman-Jordan were ordered out of the car. The two store employees were driven to the scene and identified the getaway car and Parker and Cottman-Jordan as the men who robbed them at gunpoint, police said. 

The three suspects were transported to police headquarters, where 15 bags of heroin allegedly were found in Cottman-Jordan’s possession, according to the affidavit. 

Investigators located a black Mossberg .22-caliber rifle in front of the Wal-Mart near a bench, according to the court document. The serial number of the rifle had been altered, the affidavit states.

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Robbers threaten employee with gun at Texas Walmart

Occurred November 7, 2013.

(UPDATED -- see below)

Two men were in the process of robbing merchandise from a Walmart store in Lubbock, Texas, when an employee confronted them.  One of the men pulled a handgun and threatened the employee with it, then they fled.

They were later captured and arrested when they were apparently planning to rob another Walmart store.

From an article:

Officers responded to a robbery about 9 a.m. at the Wal-Mart at 702 W. Loop 289, according to LPD Sgt. Jason Lewis. 

He said Willingham and Leyva stole various items, including electronics and food, from the store. He said the two attempted to steal a 50-inch television when a Wal-Mart employee confronted them outside the store. 

One of the men pulled a gun on the employee and the two fled southbound in a stolen Chevrolet Camaro, Lewis said. 

Patrol officers found the Camaro at the Marsha Sharp Wal-Mart and arrested one of the men at the parking lot and cornered the other inside the store. 

Lewis said investigators believe the men were planning to rob the store. 

He said police found the stolen property in the Camaro.

Walmart.  Save money.  Die faster.


UPDATE (11/12/13):  Two suspects are in custody for the robbery:  Arthur Willingham, 34, and James Leyva, 32.

UPDATE (12/4/13):  The same two suspects have been indicted.

Man wounded when gun unintentionally fires inside California Sam's Club

Occurred October 20, 2013.


A man and woman were inside a Sam's Club store in Glendora, California, when they passed a bag between each other that contained a loaded handgun.  The bag was dropped, causing the gun to discharge and wound the man in the arm.

From an article:

Robert Duncan, 48, and Helen Duncan were booked on suspicion of negligently discharging a firearm, Glendora police Sgt. Michael Henderson said. There city of residence was not immediately available. 

The incident took place shortly before 1:30 p.m. just inside the entrance of the store, 1501 S. Lone Hill Ave., he said. 

The man and woman were passing a bag between them which contained the gun, Henderson said. They dropped the bag, causing the gun inside to fire. 

Henderson said Robert Duncan was struck in the forearm by the bullet. No one else was injured. 

Officers found the man and women at San Dimas Community Hospital. He was treated for his injury and released from the hospital the same day. 

In addition to negligently discharging a gun, the husband was also expected to face a charge of illegal weapon possession, Henderson said.

According to another article:

Helen Marie Duncan, 50, was allegedly carrying a handgun inside her fanny pack when she dropped the pack and the gun discharged.

Walmart.  Save money.  Die faster.

Woman threatens employees with BB gun at Missouri Walmart

Occurred November 3, 2013.


A woman was caught shoplifting at a Walmart store in Joplin, Missouri.  When store security confronted her just after leaving the store, she pulled out a handgun and threatened the security officer with it.  She dropped the gun when police arrived, and was arrested.

The gun turned out to be a realistic-looking BB gun.

From an article:

A 27-year-old Joplin woman was charged with armed robbery after she allegedly pointed a BB gun at a security worker at a Wal-Mart store in Joplin when he tried to stop her Sunday afternoon on suspicion of shoplifting. 

Vanessa A. Tawwater was arrested about 2:15 p.m. north of the Wal-Mart store at 2623 W. Seventh St. 

Police Lt. Matt Stewart said a Wal-Mart employee followed Tawwater out of the store and caught up with her on a nearby property where she pulled a gun on him. 

The employee told an officer who arrived on the scene that she was in possession of a gun, and she threw it on the ground and was arrested, Stewart said. 

Tawwater allegedly had left the store with $115.61 worth of merchandise without paying for it.

Walmart.  Save money.  Die faster.