Frequent Shoplifter Jailed for Felony Theft

Tommy Murphy
Staff Writer

LaGrange Police have charged a repeat shoplifting offender with Felony Shoplifting for allegedly attempting to steal a pack of socks and a cat collar.

Sunday evening, about 5:10 p.m., officers with the LaGrange Police Department responded to Walmart on New Franklin Road in reference to a report of shoplifting that had just occurred. Police were told that the male suspect had fled from the area on foot toward the Valley Ridge Apartment complex after attempting to take several items.

After an initial check of the area, officers were unable to locate the suspect, so they relocated to Walmart and spoke to Loss Prevention.

When police arrived, Loss Prevention officers met them at the front door saying that the suspect had returned and was entering a red truck in the parking lot. The suspect was then spotted leaving the parking lot in an older model red Ford pickup truck. An investigative stop was later conducted on the truck on Colonial Street.

Police then confronted the driver, Reginald Siron Moody, about the alleged theft. Moody claimed that he had left Walmart around thirty minutes prior, but officers advised him that he had just been seen leaving the Walmart parking lot in the truck he was driving.

Moody was then detained, and police returned to Walmart where they reviewed security video of the incident. Police say the video showed Moody placing items into a bag from the shelf and then attempting to exchange the items in the bag, a pack of socks and a cat collar, valued at $15.40.

The cashier would not accept the exchange, so Moody attempted to leave without paying, but was confronted by Loss Prevention. When Moody refused to go to the Loss Prevention office, the merchandise was reclaimed, and he fled the location on foot, later returning for his truck.

Moody was later determined to have 11 Theft by Shoplifting convictions.

As a result, Moody, age 60, was arrested and transported to the Troup County Sheriff’s Office where he was booked into the jail charged with Felony Theft by Shoplifting – Four or More Convictions and Probation Violation.

Moody is currently being held at the Troup County Jail where he was denied bond.

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