Shoplifter "fills orders" around TN. area www.privateofficer.com

Shoplifter “fills orders” around TN. area http://www.privateofficer.com

COOKEVILLE TN OCT 29 2008

By: Bryan Hill
NTL. ASSOC. PRIVATE OFFICERS
www.privateofficer.com– A man arrested at the Cookeville Mall Saturday afternoon had a carload of stolen goods and a shopping list detailing what his “customers” had ordered, police said.

Derrick Joe Choate, 46, of Old Qualls Road, Cookeville, is charged with five counts of theft in the case, says a report by Cookeville Police Officer Jeremy Lintz.

It was around 3 p.m. Saturday when a security officer in the JC Penney store followed Choate after seeing him allegedly stealing some children’s clothing and taking it out to his car, the report says.

When Sgt. Ken Clement and Lintz arrived, they confronted Choate in the store parking lot and after seeing “the stolen merchandise” inside his car, asked permission to search the vehicle, the report says.

Choate’s wife was in the car and allegedly she began talking to Lintz, saying she was “unaware that her husband was stealing from JC Penney’s,” but she also allegedly told the officers that “her husband steals merchandise for people and then sells it to them at a reduced cost,” the report says.

“She stated that Mr. Choate has a list of merchandise of what to steal for certain individuals. While I was searching the vehicle, I observed a leather wallet that contained an appointment calendar inside it.

While searching the wallet, I found four hypodermic needles, an arm tie-off, and a Q-tip, all items associated with the use of intravenous drugs.

“The officer also alleges that the calendar book contained several sheets of paper with people’s names and “various merchandise listed underneath.”

“Most of the items listed on the sheet of paper were found in the vehicle. The JC Penney employee stated that before he confronted Mr. Choate, he was attempting to steal UFC brand T-shirts.

There were several requests on the list for UFC T-shirts, and another sheet of paper that stated ‘check JC Penney’s for UFC shirts.’”Allegedly, Mrs. Choate’s purse also contained several hypodermic needles and she told the officers she used the needles to inject Dilaudid tablets.

A check of police computers showed she was wanted on a warrant out of Wilson County, and she was arrested for that and was also cited for drug paraphernalia.Derrick Choate was arrested for theft and also cited for drug paraphernalia.

The two were taken to the Putnam jail.

Allegedly, the Choate car contained, in addition to the merchandise stolen from Penney’s, numerous hooded sweatshirts from Rugged Wearhouse, numerous decorative items believed to have been taken from the Hobby Lobby store, items stolen from Walmart, and merchandise stolen from the Dollar General store.

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