ARKADELPHIA, Arkansas — Scores of Walmart customers were turned away from entering the store Thursday, Jan. 8, following what law enforcement officials say was an early-morning break-in.
An out-of-town suspect reportedly entered the store around 2 a.m. Thursday and vandalized servers central to the store’s operation, Clark County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Lt. Russell Ursery posted to Facebook in response to an inquiry about why Walmart was closed. Ursery said the suspect at some point encountered a Walmart employee and assaulted him.
The incident sparked a felony investigation that remains under investigation headed by the Arkadelphia Police Department. Police Chief Jason “Shorty” Jackson told The Arkadelphian that the suspect initially fled the store and the area, but later returned to town where he was apprehended around midday and transported to the Clark County Detention Center for booking.
The suspect remained in custody Thursday afternoon as investigators ironed out the details and determined which charges to forward to the prosecutor’s office.
It wasn’t known Thursday afternoon how long the Arkadelphia location would be closed.
Walmart employees stood guard at both store entrances throughout the day, informing customers as they neared the doors that the store was closed. A Facebook page associated with the local store posted shortly after 3 p.m. that it would keep customers updated as s soon as its systems were up and running.
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