Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
A Tucumcari man was jailed on embezzlement charges after being accused of stealing more than $1,000 in cigarettes from a store where he worked.
Willie M. Thomas Jr., 39, was arrested on Nov. 27 after being charged with three counts of embezzlement (over $250 but not more than $500).
All are misdemeanor counts that could lead up to six months in jail or a $500 fine.
According to an affidavit filed by Tucumcari Police patrolman Ryan Vaughan, officers were summoned on Nov. 26 to the Family Dollar store to investigate an employee accused of stealing merchandise.
The store’s manager, Sara Salazar, said another employee found a cartoon of cigarettes lying in the middle of the laundry aisle that morning. She said that was suspicious because cigarettes are kept behind the counter.
Salazar reviewed store camera footage, which showed Thomas taking four cartons of cigarettes from behind the front counter and hiding them in the laundry aisle. He returned to the aisle about 2 1/2 hours later and stuffed three cartons in his pants, leaving one behind.
Salazar said she walked by Thomas’ car and saw two cartons of cigarettes lying on the floorboard of the passenger seat.
While reviewing other video footage, she said she found other instances of Thomas stealing cartons of cigarettes on Nov. 12 and Nov. 19.
Salazar said 11 cartons of cigarettes were stolen with a total value of $1,100.
Salazar said Thomas had confessed to stealing them and gave a written statement to the store’s district manager and a loss-prevention representative.
Thomas stated he was short of money and was “extremely stressed out” about the approaching holidays. He promised to repay the store and asked for a second chance to keep his job.
When Vaughan asked the suspect whether the statement was true, Thomas confirmed it was. Vaughan and another officer found two cigarette cartons on the floorboard of Thomas’ car.
They arrested him without incident.
Thomas was scheduled to be arraigned on Dec. 3 in front of Magistrate Judge Noreen Hendrickson. No attorney for Thomas was listed in court records.