A Man Wore A Walmart Employee Vest Posing As A Worker Then Stole Electronics: Police

WILLOW GROVE, PA — A Philadelphia man has been arrested after police say he posed as a Walmart employee by wearing a store uniform and then stealing items from the store.

Upper Moreland Township Police say that a man later identified as Jacob Gonzalez, 31, of Philadelphia, entered the Walmart store in Willow Grove back on March 4 at around 10 in the morning, put on an employee vest to blend in with store workers, and then stole electronics.

Gonzalez, police said, was able to convince a store associate to give him the keys to the electronics case, after which he stole an Oculus VR headset.

The defendant then fled the store with the keys and the stolen goods, police said.

At the time of the initial theft report, police were unaware of who the suspect was, but officials said a detailed investigation ultimately led them to identify the suspect as Gonzalez.

State court records show that Gonzalez was arrested on Thursday and charged with felony criminal trespass, false impression of a privately employed person, and retail theft. The latter two charges are misdemeanors.

Gonzalez was arraigned Thursday before Magisterial District Judge Juanita A. Price.

A preliminary hearing was originally scheduled for April 8 but records show it was continued until June 17. The reason for the continuation was not immediately clear.