A Redmond woman and an Estacada man were arrested this week in College Place, Washington, accused of a series of jewelry thefts at Walmarts across the Pacific Northwest, amounting to at least $140,000 in stolen goods.
The incident began on February 14 when College Place Police responded to a theft report at Walmart. Security cameras showed a suspect breaking into a jewelry case and stealing nearly $400 worth of jewelry before leaving the store. The suspect was seen driving a bluish-gray Chevy pickup truck.
The theft was linked to other similar incidents at Walmarts across Washington and Oregon. Officers worked diligently over the following weeks to track the suspect. Their efforts paid off on Tuesday, February 25, when a College Place officer spotted the matching vehicle while on patrol in the Walmart parking lot.
Inside the truck, officers found 45-year-old Mistie Dawn Cooper in the passenger seat, and drug paraphernalia was immediately visible. Further investigation led officers to locate 44-year-old Nathaniel Young, the male suspect, inside Walmart attempting to access a jewelry case. He was apprehended without incident.
Following his arrest, officers executed a search warrant on Young’s vehicle, uncovering 21 grams of powdered fentanyl, one gram of cocaine, a digital scale, and burglary tools, many designed to break into retail cases. They also discovered several pieces of jewelry, some still bearing Walmart tags.
Young, who is believed to have been involved in multiple jewelry thefts across the region, was booked into the Walla Walla County Jail on charges including Organized Retail Theft, Possession of Burglary Tools, Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver, and Theft in the 3rd Degree. Cooper was charged with Organized Retail Theft, Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
The investigation remains ongoing as authorities in other jurisdictions continue to uncover more details related to the thefts.
College Place Police Chief Tomaras praised the thorough investigation and strong collaboration with Walmart, which led to the successful apprehension of the suspects responsible for a significant wave of retail thefts across the Pacific Northwest.
