The Best-Laid Plans Often go Awry

Three Arrested for Shoplifting

By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter

CROCKETT – Robert Burns, a Scottish poet, one wrote, “The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.”

Such was the case on Monday, Aug. 28 when three individuals were caught shoplifting in Walmart.

Karlee Nicole Knowles, 26, from Grapeland, Kevin Lee McKinney, 37, from Crockett, and Bradley James Ross, 37, from Palestine were all arrested and charged with organized retail theft after they were observed by a Walmart loss prevention officer pocketing merchandise which had not been paid for.

Knowles was also charged with resisting arrest after she became uncooperative with law enforcement officers after she was detained.

According to arrest reports, Crockett Police Department Lt. Lonnie Lum was on patrol during the evening of Aug. 28 when he was dispatched to the Crockett Walmart in reference to three individuals who were believed to be shoplifting.

The report stated when Lt. Lum arrived at the store, he met with a Walmart loss prevention officer who informed him “… there were two white males and a white female who were shoplifting inside the store. (The loss prevention officer) said the female had pink hair and one of the males was in a motorized shopping cart.”

Lum went outside to wait for the shoplifting suspects to exit the store, the report stated. Shortly afterwards, he observed McKinney riding out the exit doors on the motorized cart.

McKinney was detained and after a search of his person, an iPad cover was found in the front of his pants. A large knife along with a backpack, found in the cart’s basket, had also been stolen from the store after the price tags were removed.

While Lum was questioning McKinney, CPD Sgt. Alfredo Fajardo and Officer Detric Murray “… had located and detained the other two suspects,” the report indicated.

“Knowles was carrying a Walmart bag, a large pink purse and was being very uncooperative with officers,” according to the arrest report.

The loss prevention officer informed Lum, “… that Knowles had taken underwear and other miscellaneous items.”

Knowles was read her Miranda rights and acknowledged she understood what they meant.

“She did say that she would go back inside and pay for the underwear. She was then placed under arrest and

(Houston County Sheriff’s Office) Deputy Thomas Shafer and I began to escort her to the patrol unit. While trying to escort her, she kept resisting our efforts by pushing back against us and refusing to walk to the patrol unit. Deputy Shafer and I had to physically drag her to his patrol unit and force her inside,” Lum stated in the arrest report.

Once Knowles had been taken care of, Lum spoke with the third suspect – Bradley James Ross. Ross denied any involvement with the shoplifting, but later admitted to taking the tags off of the backpack found in McKinney’s cart.

After all three suspects had been arrested and questioned, Lum reviewed the store’s video surveillance with the loss prevention officer. The Walmart officer said he had followed the suspects around the store “… and had witnessed Ross putting things in the backpack and removing the tags. He said that he also saw Knowles stealing underwear and McKinney putting electronic items in his pocket,” the report stated.

The loss prevention officer further “… advised he observed the subjects communicating by cell phone at the times they were separated. It is believed by the (loss prevention officer) that the suspects were working together to steal items from the store,” according to the report.

The total theft amount was $274.

Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].