Walmart Loss Prevention employees saw a man steal a wallet from a woman’s purse in a shopping cart on video surveillance. It happened around 2pm on Tuesday. The suspect left in a silver 1998 Hyundai Elantra westbound on Lincoln Highway East. An East Lampeter Twp PD Officerspotted the vehicle and suspect in a parking lot in the Bridgeport area.
The suspect, Manuel Garcia Gonzalez, 65, of South Queen Street, Lancaster, was taken into custody for the theft of the wallet. Through their investigation, police linked Gonzalez to a recent spree of nine thefts of purses or wallets, and two thefts from vehicles of a wallet and cell phone. The spree began in mid March 2013 at Walmart and Amelia’s Grocery Outlet, 1951 Lincoln Highway East. One of the thefts from vehicle incidents had just occurred at the Goodwill Store 2353 Lincoln Highway East on 5/21/13 prior to the Walmart incident and had not yet been discovered.
Gonzalez is charged with nine counts of misdemeanor Theft by Unlawful Taking or Disposition and two counts of misdemeanor Theft from a Motor Vehicle.