Admitted 'Career Shoplifter' Arrested At SWR Big Box Store: Cops

MURRIETA, CA — Murrieta police arrested two Hemet men last week on suspicion of shoplifting from the California Oaks Target.

On Tuesday, officers found one suspect leaving the store, and a second suspect was seen browsing the aisles inside. According to the police department's social media report, both were believed to be conspiring to steal from the store. Both were placed under arrest and booked for the crime.

Richard Cody Waddell of Hemet was arrested on multiple misdemeanor charges, including possession, conspiracy to commit a crime, possession of tear gas, and shoplifting with possession of burglary tools.

Alexander FitzGerald Mazone Taggart, 34, also of Hemet, was arrested on misdemeanors of possessing narcotics, conspiracy to commit a crime, and shoplifting.

As always, Murrieta Police used humor to teach a valuable lesson. The message behind the arrest was clearly in the department's social media post. In the video, officers directed an exiting suspect to sit on the big red concrete Target ball and tell his story, to which he epically overexplained himself.

"I was gonna do somethin' stupid, bro, so I just left the store," he said. "I just wised up and left."

"That's right. Because you remembered you were in Murrieta," the officer said.

Police also commented on the suspect's "Can't Stop The Crooks" t-shirt.

"I think your shirt's kind of ironic," the police said. I think your shirt is invalid."

The suspect agreed, considering he was handcuffed at the time outside the Murrieta Target store.

"He shared that he was coming out of retirement as a 'career shoplifter,'" police said in their Facebook post. "Not a good idea in Murrieta."

Both suspects have since been released on $5,000 bond, awaiting a June court date at Southwest Justice Center.

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