A 21-year-old Imperial man and a 17-year-old Dittmer woman recently were arrested for allegedly stealing an iPad, cash and other items from the Arnold Food Pantry. In addition, the man was arrested for allegedly stealing an iPhone from the Goodwill store in Arnold, says Detective Lt. James Jones of the Arnold Police Department.
The man previously had been sentenced to community service and while completing some of that at the Food Pantry and Goodwill, he allegedly stole items there. The man’s girlfriend allegedly was with him at the Food Pantry and helped steal items there, Jones said.
The theft at the Food Pantry, 2024 Keywest Drive, occurred between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Sept. 20, when the man and woman allegedly stole about $50 in cash and a credit card from a purse in the manger’s office. In addition, an iPad and boxes of food and other items were stolen there. Altogether, the items stolen from the Food Pantry were valued at $1,090, Arnold Police reported.
The two reportedly could be seen on surveillance footage entering and exiting the manager’s office at the Food Pantry, and neither one had permission to be there. Later, the credit card stolen from the purse was used in Jefferson County, the report said.
On Sept. 26, someone who had been working at the Goodwill, 3616 Richardson Square Drive, said he left his iPhone unattended in the store, and when he went to get it, the phone, which was valued at $700, was gone, according to the report.
The Imperial man was identified as a suspect in both thefts and the woman in the theft at the Food Pantry, and on Sept. 29, they were arrested at the woman’s Dittmer home, Jones said.
He said the man already was wanted in St. Louis County on an outstanding warrant for burglary, so he was booked and then released to St. Louis County Police. The woman was booked and then released pending application for warrants.
Arnold Police will seek felony stealing charges against both of them through the Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. As of Tuesday (Oct. 11), no charges had been filed, Jones said.