Police: Flatscreen Thief at Walmart Caught After Pursuit

The San Angelo police report that a Walmart shoplifter was caught after a pursuit on foot through some north San Angelo neighborhoods earlier this morning.

At 3:50 a.m. today, the police dispatch received a call regarding a shoplifter who had just left the Walmart Supercenter, 610 W 29th Street with a 37” flatscreen TV that had not been purchased.  While officers were responding to the store, dispatch radioed that the suspect had left the store and was running through a field towards MLK. 

Officer Tony Lopez arrived first and set up a perimeter with other patrol units who immediately began searching for the suspect.  Officers Pruitt and Thomas located the suspect and pursued him to the 300 block of W 26th Street where Noriega jumped a fence to private property.  Officers Pruitt and Thomas continued the pursuit of suspect who was quickly arrested. 

After the suspect was handcuffed, he was identified as 21-year-old Joshua Noriega of San Angelo.  Once officers placed Noriega under arrest, a search of his person revealed a driver’s license and debit card that had been taken in a vehicle burglary earlier in the evening.  

Noriega requested medical treatment for an injury to his foot.   San Angelo Fire Department Medics were requested to the scene to address Noriega’s complaints and transport him to a nearby hospital for evaluation.  Upon his release from the hospital, Noriega was transported to the Tom Green County Jail and charged with Evading Arrest/ Detention, Class B Theft of Property, and Criminal Trespass. 

The television Noriega reportedly stolen from Walmart was recovered in the parking lot and returned to the store.   The driver’s license and debit cards found on Noriega’s person were also returned to the victim of the vehicle burglary.  

The investigation into the vehicle burglary is ongoing.