Tripping Suspect Drops Cell Phone, Stolen Beer in Meijer Parking Lot

A 20-year-old male was seen running out of the Hartland Meijer without paying for a case of beer before tripping in the parking lot and dropping his cell phone and the alcohol. 

Police say on March 30, a store employee witnessed three males walking toward the exit when one of the suspects ran past her carrying a case of Bud Light beer. The man was barefooted, according to the report, and after tripping in the parking lot, the store employee recovered the suspect’s dropped cell phone.

According to the report, the two men who were with the 20-year-old male later returned to the store in an attempt to retrieve the lost cell phone from the customer service desk, but were unsuccessful after they were unable to provide the correct phone number. 

Using a reverse look up on the cell phone, police responded to a Linden address, where according to the report, they spoke to the man’s father.

While speaking to the father, police say they received a 911 call saying that the three men had returned to the Hartland Meijer and were attempting to convince store employees to give them the access code to the back door of the store.

Police made contact with the three men in the Meijer parking lot where they identified the 20-year-old man who, according to the report, smelled of intoxicants and admitted to drinking alcohol. 

Police say the 20-year-old man admitted to dropping his cell phone and beer after he tripped running out of the store. He was placed under arrest, according to the report, and a 19-year-old man was issued a minor in possession ticket. The third man was issued an operating while intoxicated ticket.

The three men were also informed they were not allowed back on the property of the Hartland Meijer, according to the report.