Man Charged with Shoplifting $1,200 in DVDs in Apple Valley

A Bloomington man has been charged with theft after police say he shoplifted almost $1,200 worth of DVDs from the Apple Valley Walmart—on the same day he was scheduled to appear on shoplifting charges in Isanti County.

Justin Ryan McCoy, 27, faces a felony charge of theft, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

The man who allegedly was the getaway driver in the incident, Minneapolis man Fredrick Lamont Kelker, 45, also was charged with a felony count of aiding and abetting theft, which holds a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine, according to the criminal complaint against him.

According to the criminal complaint against McCoy, the loss prevention manager at the Apple Valley Walmart store called police on June 9 and said McCoy, who he recognized from previous shoplifting incidents, was in the store, loading up a shopping basket with DVDs.

Because of previous experience with McCoy, Apple Valley police knew that he sometimes used knives or other cutting tools to open packages during his shoplifting forays, according to the complaint. They requested that a second squad car stand by if loss prevention manager tried to apprehend McCoy.

When police arrived, the loss prevention manager told them that McCoy had covered up his shopping basket full of DVDs with clothing. As the conversation continued, the manager interrupted, telling police that McCoy had just fled the store on foot with the DVDs and clothes.

Officers found that Kelker had allegedly driven a Chevrolet Blazer and dropped off McCoy at Walmart; when they found the Blazer, they found McCoy, who was a passenger, and arrested him.

McCoy resisted police efforts to handcuff him, but once they did they found the Walmart shopping basket full of DVDs, covered with clothing, inside the Blazer.

Walmart staff determined the value of the merchandise was $1,192.

McCoy allegedly told police that he went to Walmart specifically to shoplift DVDs, to then sell them and help his mother pay bills, according to the complaint. He also said he had recently been arrested for shoplifting in Isanti County, and was due to appear in court there later that day.

McCoy is free on a $50,000 bond. An omnibus hearing in his case is scheduled for Aug. 19.