Security system, cologne stolen from store

Suspects arrested after police chase

A home security system and a duffel bag with 13 different cologne fragrances were stolen from the De Queen, Ark., Walmart store, and the police captured two suspects after a high-speed chase.

Terry Battle, 46, of Texarkana, Texas, and Kakeisha Price, 40, of Texarkana, Ark., were arrested on theft and fleeing charges. The two had their first court appearance Thursday in the Sevier County Circuit Court in De Queen and have been scheduled to return to court Dec. 10 for their arraignment, said Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Manya K. Wood.

About 4 p.m. Sunday, De Queen Sgt. Gary Cunningham received a call from the Walmart Asset Protection team member who witnessed a customer throw stolen merchandise over the gate in the garden center.

Patrolman James Gilbert was sitting in a patrol car at Monster Hot Rod, a business that installs lift kits for trucks, and tried to stop the vehicle. The vehicle continued and swerved into oncoming traffic traveling eastbound about 75 mph.

Deputy Michael Barnes

stopped traffic on Old Dierks Highway and set up a spike strip to stop the vehicle.

The vehicle hit the spike strip and slowed to about 30 mph and then turned into the roadside park. Three of the four tires were damaged.

Battle and Price were removed from the vehicle and arrested.

During inventory, Cunningham found a security system with the security device still intact and a duffel bag containing 13 cologne fragrances, according to the arrest affidavit.

Cunningham returned to Walmart and reviewed the recording of the shoplifting. The film allegedly showed Price watching the door while Battle threw the bag over the fence of the garden center. The film also reportedly showed Battle walking into the center with the duffle bag, a security system and a big, brown teddy bear. Then he came back out with only the teddy bear.

Battle was charged with fleeing, criminal trespass and shoplifting. Price was charged with shoplifting and criminal trespass.

They remain in the Sevier County jail in De Queen.