ST. LOUIS – Police have arrested two people who they say have stolen thousands of dollars worth of merchandise from area Home Depot stores.
According to court documents, Shelly Hampton and Kenneth Coleman are charged with stealing $36,647.18 or more in merchandise. This is a class C felony with a punishment range of three to ten years in prison, a fine of up to $10,000, or by both prison time and a fine. Police said the duo stole from at least nine Home Depots in St. Louis County between January 29 and May 4.
In some instances, they would reportedly fill carts with items and simply walk out the door. Other times, they would take stickers off of cheaper items and place them on more expensive items then use the self-checkout. They were identified from surveillance video and by a visible tattoo on Hampton’s hand.
They are both being held on a $75,000 cash-only bond with no ten percent surety.
“This wasn’t about need, it was about greed,” St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell said. “Stealing and thefts will not be tolerated in St. Louis County and will be prosecuted.”
Hampton and Coleman are also facing charges in Madison County, Illinois for similar crimes.