A 45-year-old Davenport man faces felony charges after police allege he stole multiple times from Walmart in Davenport.
Billy Paul faces charges of ongoing criminal activity – unlawful activity and second-degree theft, court records show.
On Oct. 4, a Davenport Police Detective began an investigation into several alleged thefts that occurred at Walmart, 5811 Elmore Ave., between the dates of April 11, 2023 to Oct. 18, 2023, arrest affidavits say.
On April 12, about 9:15 p.m., Paul entered Walmart and began selecting “several high-dollar items, at which point (he) pushed the items out of a nearby fire door” without paying, police allege in affidavits.
Affidavits say Paul “was caught on security cameras doing this and stole a total of $958 during this incident.”
As the detective was gathering surveillance footage from the April incident, shortly after 8 p.m. Oct. 15 Paul again came to Walmart, this time with another person. The two “selected numerous items which would be placed into the cart being pushed by (Paul,)” arrest affidavits say.
Police allege Paul once again pushed the cart out of a nearby fire door without paying for the items and stole a total of $588.08 during this incident.
Shortly before 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, detectives were notified of Paul’s return to Walmart, where he allegedly was identified by Walmart staff members inside, selecting items “and concealing said items on his person,” police allege in affidavits.
Walmart staff tried to confront Paul, who “ran past all final points of sale and got into a nearby vehicle later identified as a gray 2007 Mazda sedan” without license plates, police allege in affidavits.
Officers blocked the car in at the Jersey Ridge Car Wash, 5325 Jersey Ridge Road, according to affidavits. In the car, officers found stolen property valued at $318.86.
Police also found stolen property from another theft at another local business in the car. “Through the investigation officers determined this property belonged to Lowe’s, 3855 Elmore Ave.,” worth $408, according to affidavits.
Police allege Paul stole a total of $1,891.74 worth of items from Walmart in three different incidents, affidavits say.
Affidavits show incidents also occurred at Von Maur, NorthPark Mall, 320 W. Kimberly Road, between the dates of Feb. 24 and March 12, 2023.
Affidavits also show Paul was convicted of fifth-degree theft in 2000, first-degree theft in 2006, and fourth- and second-degree theft in September 2023.
Paul, who was being held on a total $11,000 bond Thursday in Scott County Jail, is set for a preliminary hearing Oct. 27 in Scott County Court.
