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A Superior man faces multiple burglary and theft charges after being caught removing unpaid merchandise from a retail store, the last in what Pinal County Sheriff’s Office is describing as “habitual.”
On Friday, April 25, 2014, Michael Lopez, 41, Superior, was arrested in San Tan Valley after allegedly stealing from the San Tan Valley Walmart.
At 8:32 a.m., an Asset Protection Agent with Walmart reported she witnessed Lopez drive into the parking lot in a white pickup truck and park in row 11. She reported the vehicle as the same white pickup truck he has previously used to commit numerous thefts from Walmart, the latest of which being on April 22 (where it was purported $554.78 dollars of merchandise was stolen and never recovered).
After entering the store, Lopez, who is known to her from several previous thefts, was observed filling a shopping cart with $743.56 dollars worth of various merchandise and appeared to be getting ready to flee the store without paying.
When a PCSO deputy arrived, he observed Lopez pushing a shopping cart full of merchandise through the parking lot. Lopez noticed the deputy arriving and pushed the cart towards his patrol vehicle and began to briskly walk away. Lopez was chased on foot and taken into custody without incident. Lopez, according to Sgt. Pat Ramirez, PCSO Public Information Officer, during the interview admitted to all allegations and previous thefts from the surrounding area Walmarts.
The Walmart Asset Protection Agent reported Lopez has 14 previous thefts from local area Walmarts, to include in the cities of Mesa and Apache Junction.
The truck Lopez used to commit these crimes has been seized.
Lopez was booked into the Pinal County Jail in Florence for six counts of burglary and six counts of organized retail theft. Additional charges of burglary, shoplifting (felony), shoplifting (misdemeanor) and trespassing have been filed with the Pinal County Attorney’s Office for the incident occurring on April 22.
Lopez has been incarcerated in the Arizona Department of Corrections for previous thefts and shoplifting incidents out of Pinal, Gila and Maricopa counties.
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