Attention Wal-Mart shoplifters!
HARRISBURG—An Equality couple has been charged with Retail Theft after authorities say they simply loaded up a cart full of merchandise and walked out of the front door of the Harrisburg Wal-Mart.
This particular form of shoplifting seems to be on the rise in southern Illinois.
On Wednesday, January 8, at 12:11 p.m. authorities were called to the city’s Wal-Mart store, where they met with manager Justin Hovatter who told them a male pushed a cart load of merchandise out the door and then when confronted, he took off on foot leaving the cart and contents behind.
Hovatter followed the man southwest of the store to the vicinity of the Old National Bank drive through and saw him hop into a black Dodge Caravan and flee on Rte. 45.
During the course of the conversation with Hovatter, officer David Morris was informed the man was accompanied on his shopping trip by a female right up until they got near the checkout and they split up.
The woman was identified as Amber D. Mantel, 23, 248 North Calhoun St., Equality.
Hovatter said she had done the same thing the day before only with a man he recognized as Hans Mickey Mantel, 40.
Oh THAT man!
Morris was notified by dispatch that Gallatin County Sheriff Shannon Bradley was at Amber Mantel’s Equality residence and that the Caravan was parked out front.
After being read her rights, Mantel agreed to speak with authorities and said that she indeed had been at Wal-Mart with a man named Brian James.
She said they were putting items in a cart and that he told her to leave and he would meet her at Game Stop, next to Wal-Mart; only she got a call to pick him up at the bank drive-through.
She said she then took him to the park and she had no idea where he had gone from there.
That’s about the time officer Morris reminded her that if she lied she would be charged with a felony.
“I asked her if the man was inside the trailer and she hesitated and then told me that he was in the trailer,” Morris said.
Morris followed Mantel into the trailer and commended the man to show himself.
When asked his name both Mantel and the man said his name was Brian James.
Name game
The man calling himself Brian James was taken into custody and on the way to jail informed Morris his real name was Daniel James Brent Elmore, 21.
“He told me Amber had told him, after Sheriff Bradley talked to her, to say his name was Brian James so he wouldn’t get arrested,” Morris said.
When asked again what the man’s name was, Mantel continued to lie and say it was Brian James; that is, until officer Morris informed her that Mr. Elmore had fessed up.
During his interview, back at the station, Elmore informed Morris that he had gone into Wal-Mart that day with $1.75 in change in his pocket.
He admitted he filled up a cart with merchandise he did not have any money to pay for.
He said Amber Mantel had been with him and that he told her he didn’t have the money to pay for the merchandise and for her to leave and pick him up outside the store.
Elmore said when he was confronted by Wal-Mart staff, he ran and called Mantel to pick him up at the bank drive-through.
Elmore was booked into the county jail on one count of Retail Theft greater than $300.
Cash bond in Elmore’s case has been set at $1,000.
Confession x2
During her interview, Mantel admitted to her role with Elmore and confessed to being with her husband the day before at Wal-Mart, filling up a cart with merchandise including a surround-sound sound system.
She said her husband Hans Mickey Mantel had no idea she was going to steal the merchandise because she told him she had a Christmas gift card and told him to go out and warm up the car while she checked out.
She said she couldn’t remember what other items she took that day but that they were at her house.
Once Hans Mantel was informed of the investigation into his wife’s shopping practices, he agreed to bring all merchandise to the police department.
Authorities say Elmore is in a relationship with Hans Mantel’s daughter.
Amber Mantel was booked into the county jail on two separate counts (one for Jan. 6 and one for Jan. 8) of Retail Theft greater than $300.
Amber was released from custody Jan. 14 after a $500 cash bond was posted on her behalf by her husband.