By Melanie Ruberti

Melanie.ruberti@lagrangenews.com

Public Safety Reports

A 16-year-old boy was reportedly caught red-handed walking out of Walmart at 803 New Franklin Road on Thursday with a buggy full of items he did not buy.

A store manager stopped the teen as he attempted to leave the building, the report stated.

Surveillance video showed the youth put on a shirt, watch and boots inside the store, according to the report. He was still wearing the items when LaGrange police arrived at Walmart.

The teen placed clothing, headphones, toiletries and food items inside a buggy, plus hid numerous pairs of sunglasses inside the hoodie he was wearing, the report stated.

All of the items totaled $453, according to the Walmart manager.

The teen was criminally trespassed from the store and transported home by a LaGrange police officer.

Counterfeit bills

Two separate businesses both reported they received fake $100 bills from customers attempting to pay for their purchases.

Employees in the CVS store located at 300 Morgan Street told LaGrange police two females tried to buy items with a counterfeit $100 bill just after 12:30 p.m. on Thursday.

The woman said she immediately knew the money was fake and left the register to meet with a manager, according to the report.

As soon as the employee walked away, the women immediately left the store without their purchases and got into a car.

A similar report was made almost four hours later by employees in the Rite Aid located at 900 Hogansville Road.

The employees told LaGrange police only one woman came into the store and attempted to use a phony $100 bill to pay for her items.

According to the police report, two employees tested the bill with a marker and discovered it was fake. When they notified the customer, she allegedly went back out to her car to retrieve a debit card.

The woman never came back inside the store, the report stated.

The fake bills were placed into evidence at the LaGrange police Department.

Both cases are being investigated.

Naked driver hits mailbox, flees the scene

One homeowner got more than he bargained for when a driver allegedly backed into a mailbox and down into a ditch in the 200 block of Nevada Street.

The driver and a passenger pulled into his driveway about 9 p.m. Wednesday night.

When the homeowner approached the car, the driver suddenly threw it in reverse, took out the mailbox and slid down into a ditch, the report stated.

The homeowner and a friend walked towards the vehicle again and noticed the driver was naked, according to the report.

At some point, after arguing with the homeowner, the driver then fled the scene.

The passenger told LaGrange police she and the driver were “talking about family issues” and she did not know where he lived.

A tow truck removed the car from the ditch.

All information in this report is gathered from official law enforcement and public safety reports and releases. It is the policy of the Daily News to list the names of people charged with felonies. Reach the LaGrange Daily News at 706-884-7311.