A Walnut man has been charged in District Court for Carroll County for allegedly stealing more than $1,500 from a Carroll retailer in two separate incidents. Fifty-year-old Bruce Allen Powell was taken into custody Sunday by the Carroll Police Department on two counts of third-degree theft, an aggravated misdemeanor. The first charge stems from an investigation by authorities into an April 15 report from the Carroll Walmart. According to law enforcement, Powell concealed multiple items, totaling $825, inside a mop bucket box and proceeded through the self-checkout line. In a nearly identical attempt on Sunday, Powell again filled a mop bucket box with more than $700 in items, including printer ink cartridges, a trail camera and more. He then spotted officers at the store and abandoned the items before being arrested. He was transported to the Carroll County jail and released on his own recognizance after appearing before a magistrate. His next court appearance is scheduled for June 27 at the Carroll County Courthouse. If found guilty of the charges, he faces a maximum penalty of four years in prison and $12,500 in fines.
