What began with a petty Walmart shoplifting case led Eagle Point police to find thousands of dollars believed to have been stolen from a local business and to put two suspects behind bars.
Mindy Alizabeth Harrison, 24, and Richard Anthony Wright Jr., 32, were arraigned Wednesday in Jackson County Circuit Court on burglary and theft charges for allegedly stealing roughly $8,000 from Ed's Oasis Monday.
Harrison allegedly stole $23.62 worth of merchandise from the Eagle Point Walmart store Sunday evening and fled, according to documents filed by Eagle Point police. People at the store recognized her from an earlier shoplifting incident, and Eagle Point police found her Tuesday night with close to $2,000 cash on her at the Eagle Point Purple Parrot, the documents allege.
Police impounded her car, and at about 6 a.m. Tuesday morning, Wright allegedly hopped a fence into the Eagle Towing yard in White City looking for Harrison's car. Jackson County sheriff's deputies caught him there. Wright attempted to take a flashlight and a little less than $100 in change from the business, police say.
Harrison allegedly told police the rest of the cash was inside her car in Wright's backpack.
The alleged roles of the suspects in the burglary at Ed's Oasis Monday are not clear. Wright told police that Harrison burglarized Ed's Oasis and brought the money to him in a metal coffee can, court documents say, while Harrison allegedly told sheriff's deputies in jail that Wright committed the burglary without her assistance and that she was holding the cash for him.
Wright faces felony counts of second-degree burglary and first-degree theft, along with misdemeanor counts of possessing methamphetamine and heroin, for the Ed's Oasis burglary, and a count of second-degree burglary in the Eagle Towing burglary. Circuit Court Judge Tim Barnack set his bail at $150,000 Wednesday.
Harrison faces felony counts of first-degree theft and second-degree burglary, along with a misdemeanor count of third-degree theft. Barnack set her bail at $80,000.
— Reach reporter Nick Morgan at 541-776-4471 or nmorgan@mailtribune.com. Follow him on Twitter at @MTCrimeBeat.