A Sioux Center man faces a felony theft charge after police say he repeatedly took merchandise from the Sioux Center Walmart without paying and returned some of those items for money.
Eighteen-year-old Mainor Hernandez-Morgado was arrested Thursday, September 3, by the Sioux Center Police Department. He is charged with second-degree theft, a Class D felony.
Alleged Theft Occurred Multiple Times
According to a criminal complaint filed in Sioux County District Court, Walmart asset-protection employees allegedly observed Hernandez-Morgado removing multiple items from the store without paying for them.
Investigators say employees also reported seeing Hernandez-Morgado return several items he had not purchased and keep the money received through the returns. The complaint alleges the activity occurred on multiple occasions.
Court documents say Hernandez-Morgado made admissions about the alleged activity while speaking with police. Video recordings are also listed among the physical evidence supporting the charge.
The combined value of the merchandise allegedly exceeded $1,500 but was less than $10,000, placing the charge within Iowa’s second-degree theft classification.
Suspect Remains in Custody
The complaint lists the incident time as approximately 6:47 p.m. Thursday at the Walmart Supercenter on 16th Street Southwest in Sioux Center.
Hernandez-Morgado was taken into custody and jailed. At the last check, he remained in the Sioux County Jail, and bond had been set.
