A man from Pine Bluff, Arkansas, is facing charges after he allegedly stole a woman’s purse out of her car at a gas station, and later tried to use the victim’s credit card to pay his food bill at the restaurant where she worked.
On Sunday, June 17, Flora Lunsford was at a United Filling Station and went inside of the convenience store. She had left her purse unattended and locked in her vehicle. When she returned to her car she noticed that someone had forced the door open and that her handbag and its contents, including her identification and credit cards, was no longer inside.
When the authorities were investigating the robbery they reviewed the video taken from the surveillance camera at the gas station. The footage reportedly showed a car parked in front of the gas pumps that was there before Lunsford had arrived.
After she entered the store the video allegedly depicted a man, who was later suspected to be 21-year-old Shamon West, parked in front of the pumps. He was seen approaching and getting inside of Lunsford’s car and then returning to his own car carrying her purse. The suspect was then shown driving off without paying for his fuel purchase.
On Tuesday, two days after Lunsford’s belongings were taken from her car, West went to Shannon’s Restaurant located a couple of blocks from the United Filling Station where the purse was snatched.
Lunsford, who is a waitress at Shannon’s, served West his meal, and upon taking the payment to ring up his bill she recognized the credit card as her own.
Lunsford called the police who arrived at the eatery and reportedly discovered that West had the contents of Lunsford’s wallet in his possession. He was arrested and taken to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s office where he was booked just before 11:00 am.
West has been charged with theft by receiving, and forgery and he is being held in lieu of $2840 bail.
Police issued a statement to the news reporting that they were surprised the suspect did not recognize the woman’s picture on her identification card before handing her the credit card that belonged to her.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a theft crime, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.