A Michigan man accused of a cross-country crime spree involving nearly 100 thefts from Walmart was jailed Friday after attempting to steal about $2,100 worth of electronics from the North Huntingdon store, according to police.
Andrew L. Reed, 18, of Detroit, was arrested Thursday night in the parking lot of the Mills Drive store. According to a criminal complaint, Reed allegedly tried to make a fraudulent purchase of two video game consoles and two virtual reality headsets at a self-serve checkout counter. Walmart employees intercepted the transaction, and the suspect left the store without the merchandise, police said.
Patrolman Brendan Duffy stated in the complaint that he observed a man walking away from loss prevention employees. The man, later identified as Reed, walked toward a police cruiser after being requested to do so, Duffy said.
Police reported that Reed had several active arrest warrants from across the nation and was associated with 97 different incidents in the Walmart loss prevention database, with stolen merchandise totaling about $146,500.
Reed was arraigned Friday before North Huntingdon District Judge Henry Moore on charges of retail theft, theft by deception, criminal use of a communication facility and trespassing. He was denied bail and placed in the Westmoreland County Prison.
Reed did not have an attorney listed in court papers. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 6.
