Walmart theft leads police to 37 pounds of marijuana in car trunk, Georgia cops say
A man was accused of shoplifting from Walmart before officers busted him with nearly 40 pounds of marijuana in his car’s trunk, authorities in Georgia say.
The 28-year-old faces theft and drug charges after his Jan. 7 arrest outside the Walmart Supercenter on Eatonton Road in Madison, according to the city’s police department.
Officers were called to the store around 4:45 p.m. about a theft in progress, an arrest report states. The accused shoplifter had “skipped scanned” more than $162 worth of items at the self-checkout lane before he was confronted by police.
During his arrest, he told officers he needed the few items that he paid for and gave them permission to put the merchandise in his car, according to the report. The man instructed the officers to put the items in the backseat because his trunk was full.
By that time, one of the officers had already opened the trunk and was met with “a strong odor of marijuana,” the report states.
A search of the car turned up an estimated 37 pounds of pot, vacuum-sealed and stored in a red bag and a duffel bag. A bag of psychedelic mushrooms and four THC pens were also found, police said.
In the center console, officers found more drugs including ecstasy pills and a “white powdery substance,” according to the arrest report. Three phones and an iPad were also seized, police said.
He was charged with theft by shoplifting, marijuana possession with intent to distribute, possession or use of drug paraphernalia, trafficking and illegal possession of a controlled substance, according to the incident report.
He was later booked into the Morgan County Detention Center.
Madison is about 60 miles southeast of Atlanta.
This story was originally published January 17, 2023 at 1:55 PM with the headline "Walmart theft leads police to 37 pounds of marijuana in car trunk, Georgia cops say."