Suspected Walmart looters surrender after Fayetteville police post security camera photos online
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. June 21 2020— After a Walmart in Fayetteville was ransacked during a protest that turned violent last month, police posted images taken from security cameras online, leading to numerous arrests of suspected looters.
What started as a peaceful May 30 protest about the death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minnesota days earlier erupted into chaos that night. People smashed their way into several stores, including the Walmart Supercenter at 1550 Skibo Road.
Police posted more than 100 images from cameras showing people inside the store on the Fayetteville/Cumberland County Crime Stoppers Facebook page, leading to more than 450 tips.
One man is seen leaving the Walmart with a big-screen TV, while others have their arms filled with goods.
“The detectives are working and following up on these tips to get these folks positively identified so they can take out charges,” said Sgt. Jeremy Strickland, a Fayetteville Police Department spokesman.
Many of the people pictured have already surrendered to police, Strickland said.
“We have had some folks call in and say, ‘Hey, look, this is me in the photo. I’ll bring the property that I stole back,'” he said. “But like I said, this will all play out in court.”
Even people who didn’t steal anything could face a charge of breaking and entering, which is a felony, Strickland said.
“Anybody who entered the business could potentially face at least one charge,” he said. “Just entering the business alone constitutes a break-in.”
Investigators are scanning security camera video from inside and outside of several businesses that were looted that night, including the J.C. Penney in Cross Creek Mall, and plan to release photos in those cases as well.
“We’re seeing a lot of these folks who are identified at Skibo [Road] Walmart, we have seen at other businesses throughout that night,” Strickland said.
Despite the large number of potential suspects in the case, Crime Stoppers is offering rewards for information leading to arrests.
WRAL
