Man, Woman Arrested for Shoplifting, Kitten Taken for Safekeeping

Warwick, RI – Officers called to the Bald Hill Road Walmart July 21 for a shoplifting report found the suspected thieves were keeping a kitten in their car, charging them with shoplifting and entrusting Warwick Animal Shelter with the cat.

Officers Stephen Major and Jason Cooke were called to the 650 Bald Hill Road store at about 5:43 p.m. for a report of shoplifting, speaking with the store’s loss prevention manager.

The woman told them two people, a man and a woman, had entered the store and proceeded to different departments. The man, later identified as Douglas Reynolds, 27, of 292 Whittenton St., Taunton, MA, entered the electronics department and took a desktop computer worth about $399. The woman, later identified as Tracy Small, 34, also of MA, entered the toy department and took a LEGO set worth $74.

The loss prevention officer confronted both people outside the store after they’d neglected to pay for the merchandise, eventually persuading them to return to the store. The loss prevention officer said she had video of each theft.

Reynolds was arrested and transported to Warwick Police Headquarters at 99 Veterans Memorial Drive, where he was charged with shoplifting. Small was also transported to WPD Headquarters and charged with shoplifting.

An Animal Control Officer was called to the scene to take possession of a kitten the couple had left in their car upon entering Walmart, for safekeeping. The kitten was left in the care of the Warwick Animal Shelter for Small to retrieve later.