Woman Arrested in Target Tech Gear Theft Case

Tips from a Concord Regional Crimeline alert posted on Concord NH Patch have yielded an arrest in a recent theft of mislaid property case at the Target on D’Amante Drive, according to arrest reports.

Wendy Gene Kelly, 51, was arrested at 3:14 p.m. on March 20, on a bench warrant, and 4 p.m. on March 21, on a felony theft of mislaid property charge.

According to Lt. Timothy O’Malley, the commander of the criminal investigations division of the Concord Police Department, “a ton of calls” were received after Patch posted the Crimeline art on March 11, involving $250 worth of missing technology equipment that was accidentally left in a shopping cart at Target. A woman was recorded on video surveillance entering the store and then later, allegedly leaving the store with a Best Buy bag that she didn’t walk into the store with. The woman could also be seen attempting to shield her face from the camera as she left, according to the footage.

Police investigated the incident and were able to get a clear screenshot of the woman entering the store, and then, sent out the alert.

“That was one of my records,” O’Malley said, describing the speed at which tipsters began contacting police. “I think I got a text (about) two hours later. Subsequent to that, there were numerous calls and texts identifying her.”

After getting the first tip, an officer was assigned to the case and conducted an investigation, attempting to build probable cause, according to O’Malley.

During the course of the investigation, police found out that Kelly was wanted for a nonappearance in court warrant out of Conway District Court from March 4, with $100 cash to settle. Officers arrested her on March 20, at her apartment on Rumford Street.

Kelly posted bail and was released and is scheduled to appear in Conway on April 15.

The next day, Kelly was requested to turn herself in again to the police station to face the theft charge. Prior convictions bumped the case up to a felony, O’Malley noted. She was released on $5,000 personal recognizance bail and is due in Concord District Court on April 28.

O’Malley said with this case, as well as others, it helps when people contact police with information.

“The reality of it is, if people give us information, our officers are going to do everything they can to solve the crime,” he said. “Whether it’s a $5 can of tuna fish or $300 electronics, we want to do everything we can to apprehend these people.”

In this particular case, a wi-fi hot spot device and a cellphone charger where in the bag when it was taken, items that the victim needed. He noted that in many other cases, an opportunity to commit a crime is indicative of other illicit behavior and solving other crimes.

“A lot of the shoplifting and other types of crimes, when we put video (out there) we find with a lot of other cases, there are prior issues,” O’Malley said. “In other cases, there is more going on … (Crimeline) is a resource and we’re going to use it.”

Editor’s note: The following story was derived from information supplied by the Concord Police Department. It does not indicate a conviction.