A shoplifter tries leaving Walmart with almost $800 worth of groceries. When stopped by an employee, she leaves the cart, jumps into a vehicle, and leaves
- Travis Uresk
- Sep 30, 2024
- 2 min read
By Travis Uresk
9/30/24
| Vernal, Ut. | September 27th, 2024 |
Officer Candelas responded to a shoplifting at the Vernal Walmart. While en route, he was advised by dispatch that the female walking out with a full cart of groceries had been picked up by an older maroon Ford Expedition.
When the officer arrived at the parking lot, the Expedition was gone.
Officer Candelas watched Walmart surveillance footage, which showed the female, who was later identified as 53-year-old Rebecca Lee Wade, filling her shopping cart with items worth $777.84 and then walking past all points of sale without purchasing any items.
As she was walking out of the store, the magnetic security alarm went off, and Walmart's asset protection was close behind her, making her stop at the door. Rebecca then told Walmart Asset Protection that her husband would come to pay for the items. She was then asked to go to the asset protection office, and at that point, she left the cart, got into the vehicle, and left the store.
On 9/15/24, the Ford Expedition and its owner were located.
The owner was able to put Officer Candelas in contact with Rebecca. When speaking to Rebecca via phone, the officer told her he needed to speak to her about the incident at Walmart. She then asked her friend to have bail ready because she believed she was going to jail.
The officer asked Rebecca if they could meet in person so they could speak about the incident. She stated that she could meet at an address on South Vernal Avenue. As soon as the phone call was over, Officer Candelas drove to the address, and when he arrived, Rebecca was not there. The residence of the home stated that Rebecca had not been there that day. The officer attempted calling Rebecca, but the phone call went straight to voicemail.
The following day, Officer Candelas contacted the Expedition's owner again and asked where Rebecca was. They replied that Rebecca had called back and said that she had sent him to that address so she could skip town.
On 9/27/24, Officer Candelas was out on patrol when he saw Rebecca in the front yard of 545 West 100 South and stopped and contacted her. He asked her where she had been the day she was supposed to meet with him. She stated that she had gotten a ride and had been on the mountain until recently.
Officer Candelas asked Rebecca what had happened at Walmart. She stated that she went there with a friend, and the friend paid for some things, but she thought her friend paid for more of it. Then, she went to the car. When she was taking the baskets out, the alarm went off, and she left the baskets and walked out.
Rebecca Wade was arrested for a Class A Retail Theft and for providing false information.
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