Concord man accused of sexually assaulting teen girl, shoplifting at Hooksett Walmart
HOOKSETT NH Feb 5 2018 — A Concord man was arrested after police said he sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl and shoplifted at Walmart last week.
Arthur Vigeant, 21, is facing charges of sexual assault, simple assault and willful concealment. He was released on $5,000 personal recognizance bail.
The charges stem from a Jan. 17 incident at the store on Commerce Drive.
Just after 3:15 p.m., a man had gone to Walmart and left without paying for some items he had picked up there, according to police. The suspect then left to go to Bass Pro Shop in the same plaza and returned to Walmart about three hours later.
Around 6:40 p.m. that day, police were called to Walmart for a report of a 13-year-old girl who was sexually assaulted. The girl told police that a man had grabbed her buttocks and that she pushed him away.
The girl’s family had also confronted the suspect, according to police.
Heidi Biron, the girl’s mother, said she had her back turned at the time as the family went through self-checkout.
“It’s a scary, scary experience,” she said.
Biron, an Allenstown resident, said after making sure her daughter was safe, she announced what was happening, calling for help.
To me, that was just a natural thing to do,” she said.
Biron said they were able to keep tabs on the suspect until police arrived. She said that having other shoppers and store employees help her was heartening. Witnesses were able to provide a description of the suspect, who left the store before officers arrived, police said.
Police said they were also able to use surveillance footage to figure out what happened that day.
Officers arrived and found Vigeant shortly after. He admitted to both grabbing the teen’s buttocks and taking merchandise from Walmart, police said.
Vigeant appeared to be under the influence of drugs and was taken into protective custody before being brought to the Elliot Hospital to be evaluated, according to police.
Vigeant turned himself in on Tuesday, according to police. He was arraigned on Wednesday at the Hooksett District Court and released on personal recognizance bail.
