Louisville Metro Police (LMPD) arrested five individuals accused of operating a theft ring across Jefferson County. The arrests followed an investigation sparked by a viral video, which showed one of the suspects, Tyler Haney, walking out of the Walgreens on Fegenbush Lane on April 22 with unpaid items and getting into a car with other people.
While LMPD was not called to the scene until after Haney had left, officers filed a report and began investigating. Authorities noted that Haney was no stranger to such incidents. “Tyler likes to steal anything that isn’t bolted to the ground,” LMPD said in a social media post, adding that Haney had recently stolen from Lowe’s on Preston Highway, Walgreens, and Tool World.
Along with Haney, police arrested William Helphenstine, Kelli Hendricks, Chelsea Wyland, and Keith Reed. LMPD described them as “all peas in this theft-ring pod.” Authorities believe the group’s actions spanned much of the county, with detectives working together to track down and arrest the suspects.
The charges against them include theft by unlawful taking (over $1,000), theft of retail merchandise for resale, engaging in organized crime, and hindering prosecution. Three of the suspects’ vehicles were also towed during the investigation.
