COLLIER COUNTY, FL – A school crossing guard’s keen observation led to the arrest of a suspected thief just one day after he allegedly stole speakers from a Walmart. George Stidham Jr., 53, is now in the Collier County jail facing charges of retail theft and trespassing.
According to Sheriff Kevin Rambosk, the arrest is a “terrific example of how our agency works together to keep Collier County safe.”
Detectives said the incident occurred on Tuesday, when Stidham, who is trespassed from the store due to prior theft arrests, entered the Walmart at 3451 U.S. 41 East in Naples, FL. He allegedly stole a set of portable speakers by concealing them in his backpack and then ran from a loss prevention officer who confronted him in the parking lot.
The next day, at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, a Collier County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) school crossing guard in East Naples saw Stidham walking by. She recognized him from an internal agency communication asking for assistance in locating him. The crossing guard immediately alerted her supervisor, and additional deputies were mobilized to take Stidham into custody.
Stidham is a registered convicted felon and gang member with a history of arrests in Florida and Louisiana for crimes ranging from cocaine possession to kidnapping.
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