CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. — Dozens of Chesterfield County police officers and sheriff’s deputies gathered at the IronBridge Road Walmart on Sunday for the annual "Shop With a Cop" event, a holiday tradition where law enforcement helps children pick out presents.
The event took an unexpected turn when officers were told about a shoplifting inside the store.
"A member of the staff at Walmart came up to us and informed us they had a shoplifting in progress," Chesterfield County Police Lt. James Lamb told CBS 6. "Between the sheriff’s department and police officers we had about 50 uniform personnel at the store."
Security footage showed a man concealing merchandise and attempting to leave the store, police said.
Officers, who were already in the store, quickly began searching for the suspect.
"As we approached from different directions, he tried to escape out the back of the store where he was apprehended," Lamb said. "I think he was stunned."
Police were stunned that the man, later identified as 32-year-old Hector D. Velazquez Maldonado of Chesterfield County, even attempted the crime given the overwhelming police presence visible both inside and outside the store.
"We had 30-40 marked patrol cars in the parking lot," Lamb said. "When we found his vehicle, it was facing where our cars were parked, so he would have had to see them. It seems it just didn’t matter to him."
Maldonado was found to have active warrants for failure to appear in court on a previous shoplifting charge, as well as other open larceny cases in the county.
He is now facing a felony charge of grand larceny after police say he attempted to steal nearly $1,400 worth of items.
This is a developing story. Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom.
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