Snow stops $4k theft at North Dakota party store
As the US shivers amid record low temperatures and colossal amounts of snow, the adverse weather appears to have redeemed itself – preventing the theft of party and craft supplies worth $4,000.
It took Dustin Johnson, 22, more than 7 hours to meticulously pack his cart with merchandise from Hobby Lobby in Minot, North Dakota Wednesday night. When he got out of the store without paying for the items, the cart full of goods got stuck in the snow in the parking lot – courtesy of the "Bomb Cyclone."
MEDIA RELEASE: 22 yr old Minot man arrested for attempting to shoplift approximately $4000 worth of merchandise from Hobby Lobby. #Snowyparkinglothttps://t.co/wljNhdEc4lpic.twitter.com/ye4yGv64PA
— MinotPD (@MinotPD) January 4, 2018
The cart then flipped over, and the clumsy shoplifter tripped and fell, before escaping on foot, police said.
Officers found Johnson’s wallet with his photo ID photo near the spot where he fell. The suspect was then arrested and taken to Ward County Jail where he faces felony shoplifting charges. Authorities have not released a breakdown of the stolen goods, but the Hobby Lobby Chain stocks a variety of art and craft materials, party supplies as well as home-decor items.