Thief caught with loot in pants

A fugitive from justice was a few pounds too heavy this past week as he was caught trying to pass through the checkout line at Wal-Mart with 45 items hidden in his pants.

The suspect, Jeffery Turner (aka Joseph Bajardy, aka Joseph Hawkins), 48, is charged with theft and being a fugitive from justice. He will face extradition back to Brooksville, Fla., once his charges are settled in McMinnville. He is charged with exploitation of the elderly in that state, his wanted status discovered after his arrest at Wal-Mart.

As for his crime here, Wal-Mart loss prevention says Turner’s attempt to get out of the store undetected was doomed before it started as he was overloaded by the time he tried to pass the cashier.

‘Mr. Turner went through the cashier line to buy a fishing pole and she noticed his pants were bulging,’ warrants taken against Turner claim, noting Turner was stopped by the greeter as he tried to exit after paying only for the fishing pole.

‘Mr. Turner had 45 items stuffed down his thermal underwear,’ the warrant continues, noting the total of stolen items, all somewhat small in size, are estimated at $230.

Investigators say Turner tried to accomplish the ambitious theft by taping the legs of his thermal underwear closed so he could slip the stolen items down his pants to be held in the legs of his long underwear, which he was wearing despite the nearly 100-degree heat.

A search of Turner, in addition to the numerous items he tried to steal, revealed a number of Social Security cards and driver’s licenses bearing various identities.