Two men arrested following alleged attempt to steal and impersonate an officer charges at Twin Falls Walmart
TWIN FALLS, Idaho Sept 1 2019 Three individuals were arrested Friday morning near Fillmore Street, in a high risk, felony traffic stop, stemming from an attempt to steal $763.53 worth of merchandise from the Walmart in Twin Falls, according to court documents and a detective with the Twin Falls Police Department.
The traffic stop was initiated shortly after 1 a.m. Friday, when a Twin Falls Police officer recognized a green Ford Freestyle, that appeared similar to a vehicle identified in surveillance footage of two suspects leaving the Twin Falls Walmart following an alleged shoplifting attempt that took place Thursday night.
Those two individuals have since been identified as Thomas Wildman and Aaron Keith Altes, who were described by a Walmart employee as walking around the Twin Falls Walmart Thursday night, placing mostly camping and survival equipment in their shopping cart.
Both Altes and Wildman were dressed in all black, with handheld radios, and badges hanging from lanyards on their necks. Wildman also wore a holster with a pistol on his hip.
Both Wildman and Altes identified themselves to Walmart employees as officers with the Department of Homeland Security and C.I.A, in Twin Falls on official business, according to court documents.
When Wildman and Altes attempted to leave without paying, a Walmart employee confronted them, asking the two men to come back inside the store. Both refused, with Wildmen eventually yelling at the Walmart employee that he’d shoot him if he called the police.
Despite Wildman’s threats, they left the Walmart without the unpaid items in a Ford Freestyle captured on surveillance footage that also captured the men’s interactions with the Walmart employee.
When the high risk traffic stop was conducted Friday morning near Filmore, Wildman, was driving the Ford Freestyle at the time. Wildman stepped out of the vehicle and began screaming claims of being a federal agent, and that police officers needed to shoot him because he wasn’t going to jail according to court documents.
As result, of failing to cooperate Wildman was tased and detained in handcuffs.
A plastic bag of a white crystal substances that tested positive for methamphetamine was discovered on Wildman’s person according to court documents, along with a .22 caliber handgun underneath the driver’s side seat. Altes, who was in the passenger seat admitted to impersonating a federal officer at Walmart, and that he knew of Wilman’s intent to steal from there but left before Wildman.
He was discovered with methamphetamine on his person as well. In the front right passenger seat of the Ford Freestyle, Shelby Speranza, was discovered with a what’s described as a realistic looking BB handgun under her seat along with methamphetamine.
In total, all three were arrested on the charges below:
Thomas Wildman was arrested for attempted robbery, burglary, aggravated assault, impersonating an officer, and possession of methamphetamine.
Aaron Keith Altes, was arrested for burglary, impersonating an officer, and possession of methamphetamine.
Shelby Speranza, was the third individual in the vehicle who was arrested on possession of a controlled substance.
KMVT
