Crime & Safety

Esparto Parolee Arrested on Suspicion of Strong-Arm Robbery

The Dixon Police Department arrested a parolee at Wal-Mart after store security accused him of stealing merchandise from the store and attempting to return it for cash.

A trip to ended with an Esparto man in jail Sunday evening.

officers arrested William Queen, 31, of Esparto, on suspicion of robbery, obtaining goods using false pretenses, battery, conspiracy, obstruction of justice/resisting arrest and parole violation Sunday at 6:30 p.m.

Police said that Queen and his girlfriend went to Wal-Mart and conspired to commit a crime.

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“What they were trying to do was, they were taking merchandise from inside the store and attempting to return it for cash,” Dixon Police Sgt. Loren Ellefson said. “They took some items out of the packaging and he and his girlfriend tried to get money for it, but the store people had been watching them and found out what they were doing.”

Store security confronted Queen, Ellefson said, and that’s when Queen allegedly began fighting with them, punching and biting the security guards. The guards called police and Queen allegedly began fighting with Dixon officers as well.

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The officers managed to take Queen into custody, his girlfriend had left the store before their arrival, and placed him under arrest on the aforementioned charges.

Ellefson said that cologne and a power tool were among the items that Queen was attempting to get refunds on. Queen is on parole, Ellefson said, and a charge of violation of parole was added.

Queen was taken to jail. No major injuries were reported during the incident.

“A couple of store employees suffered cuts and bites,” Ellefson said.


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