The Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s office has charged two men and a woman from Romania in connection with the theft of a man’s wallet at the Walmart store in Arnold. Police believe the three have been pickpocketing throughout Missouri and other states, Arnold Police reported.
The three suspects reportedly entered the U.S. at the Mexico border, traveled to the state of Washington and then New York before traveling down the east coast and coming to Missouri, the probable-cause statements in the case said.
Vasile Frasineanu, 36; Luiza Frasineanu, 31; and Florin Polifram, 32, were charged on Sept. 15 with stealing–physical taking, a class D felony punishable by up to seven years in prison. As of Sept. 20, each of the three were being held on a $60,000 surety bond at the Jefferson County Jail in Hillsboro.
In court records, Polifram has an address in Plymouth, Neb., and the Frasineanus’ have addresses are in Tacoma, Wash. However, none of the three has permission to be in the U.S. permanently, and they are awaiting immigration hearings, the probable-cause statements said.
At about 11:15 a.m. Sept. 14, the three showed up at Walmart, 2201 Michigan Ave., in Arnold. Vasile Frasineanu remained in the 2004 Audi they arrived in, while Luiza Frasineanu and Polifram entered the business, the report said.
Luiza Frasineanu and Polifram allegedly were seen in surveillance video following a man through the store, and employees contacted Arnold Police because of their behavior, Detective Lt. Jeremey Christopher said.
Arnold Police said it did not look like the pair tried to steal the first man’s wallet, but they started following a second man, and as the three exited through the first set of doors, Polifram allegedly was seen in surveillance video taking the victim’s wallet out of his left back pocket. The victim had two credit cards and $558 in his wallet, the report said.
Polifram allegedly put the stolen wallet in his pocket, and he and Luiza Frasineanu walked toward the car Vasile Frasineanu was driving toward them, but Arnold Police officers intercepted Polifram and Luiza Frasineanu before they got into the car. An officer allegedly found the stolen wallet in Polifram’s pocket. The officers arrested all three, the probable-cause statements said.