Suspect hid in Davenport Walmart, ran from officers, police allege

A 29-year-old Chicago man is behind bars after police say he hid in a Davenport Walmart after hours then took off from officers through an emergency exit.

Stanley Bradford faces a felony charge of second-degree burglary and an aggravated misdemeanor charge of possession of burglary tools, court records show.

About 11 p.m. Wednesday, Davenport Police responded to Walmart, 3101 W. Kimberly Road, for a report of a theft in progress.

Bradford entered an occupied structure, attempting to commit theft, to permanently deprive the store of its goods, police allege in affidavits. Bradford remained inside of the store after it was closed to the public.

Store employees told Bradford that the store was closed, but, police allege, he remained on scene and “entered an area marked for employees only without authorization after the store was closed.”

Affidavits show the store, which had clearly marked hours on the front doors of operation to the public, also announced over the PA system that the store was closed to customers several times while Bradford remained inside.

He took items with a total value exceeding $1,500 but less than a total value of $10,000 and concealed the merchandise in suitcases. Bradford “acquired tools from inside the store, using the tools to break into a locked electronics case,” affidavits say. He took several items from the case that previously had been locked and attempted to conceal them. He “used these tools in the perpetration of a burglary. The defendant had these tools on his person when he was taken into custody.”

Officers identified themselves and directed Bradford to stop, but he “intentionally ignored the directives given by officers and ran away” through an emergency exit and from the store. Officers chased him on foot. Bradford ran through the nearby neighborhood and hide in back yards before finally being caught and placed under arrest, according to affidavits.

Affidavits say that, after he was read his Miranda Rights, Bradford admitted to Davenport Police he entered the store with the intent to commit theft and did not have enough money to pay for the items. Bradford admitted he intended to sell the items for a profit.

“Walmart captured this incident on security cameras inside the store,” affidavits say.

Bradford is being held in Scott County Jail, where he also is being held on multiple interstate and intrastate detainers. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing March 10 in Scott County Court.

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