𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐥-𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐭
- Austin
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
𝑫𝒊𝒔𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒓: 𝑨𝒍𝒍 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒍 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒈𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒕𝒚 𝒊𝒏 𝒂 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒍𝒂𝒘. 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒔 𝒎𝒂𝒚 𝒃𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒅, 𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒅, 𝒐𝒓 𝒅𝒆𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒅 𝒖𝒏𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒅. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒑𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒛𝒆𝒔 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒃𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒕𝒔.
On Aug. 14, 2026, an officer with the Higginsville Police Department conducted a traffic stop involving a black 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix connected to a theft investigation at the Higginsville Wal-Mart. The investigation began after officers were notified by store asset protection personnel about a series of theft-related incidents at the business.
Witness 1 reported that on Aug. 3, 2026, they were notified about an abandoned shopping cart containing $969.80 in merchandise. The incident reportedly occurred days earlier, on Aug. 1, 2026. A photograph was taken of the abandoned cart, and a training receipt was prepared for the merchandise.
According to Witness 1’s internal investigation, the suspect vehicle arrived at the store and backed into a parking space near the garden center patio exit. Lindsay E. Sloma and an unknown male attempted to enter through those doors, but the doors were locked. They then walked around the building and entered through the main doors. Once inside, Sloma and the male subject obtained a shopping cart and collected various items totaling $969.80. Witness 1 reported the items were concealed inside a plastic storage tote placed inside the cart.
The male subject then left the store empty-handed through the main exit and walked around the building back to the vehicle. Approximately four minutes later, Sloma attempted to leave through the garden center doors with the cart and merchandise, but the doors were locked. Sloma then walked back through the store and exited through the main doors empty-handed. Witness 1 reported that neither Sloma nor the male subject purchased anything during the visit.
On Aug. 4, 2026, Witness 1 identified Sloma through Wal-Mart’s internal case system. Witness 1 reported Sloma had previously been issued a restriction notice from all Wal-Mart properties on June 10, 2024. The statement notes the restrictions do not expire.
Witness 1 also reported that Sloma had prior Wal-Mart theft incidents in Sedalia, Warrensburg, and Higginsville. Those incidents allegedly included thefts of $51.02 on May 27, 2024, $29.98 on May 28, 2024, $77.26 on May 28, 2024, $145.59 on June 5, 2024, $19.96 on June 10, 2024, and $16 on Dec. 11, 2025.
Witness 1 provided a copy of the signed trespass restriction notice served to Sloma on June 10, 2024. During later contact with officers, Sloma stated she had previously been in trouble for stealing from the Sedalia Wal-Mart when she was 15 years old, but said that was 16 years earlier. She also stated she was not aware she was not allowed to go to Wal-Mart.
Witness 1 further reported that on June 16, 2026, the same Grand Prix came to the Higginsville Wal-Mart and parked in the same area of the parking lot. During that visit, Sloma allegedly entered through the automotive section, retrieved a shopping cart, collected various items, and attempted to leave through the automotive section, but the door was locked, so she abandoned the cart.
Sloma then exited through the main doors and returned to her vehicle. After sitting in the vehicle for a period of time, she re-entered the store and purchased a few items. During the transaction, Sloma allegedly took several Wal-Mart sacks from the register, paid for her items, and returned to the cart. Sloma then bagged items in the cart that she had not paid for and left the store with five bags. According to Witness 1’s investigation, Sloma only paid for the contents of two bags. The reported loss from that incident was $56.20.
On Aug. 14, 2026, officers stopped Sloma and advised her she was not under arrest but was being detained. The officer then advised Sloma of her Miranda rights and told her she had been identified as a suspect in an attempted theft that occurred approximately two weeks earlier.
Sloma stated she knew what the officer was talking about but denied stealing anything. She stated she went into the store to obtain school supplies and clothes for her children. Sloma said she had not received money that was supposed to be sent to her, so she left without paying for anything and left the merchandise in the cart. The officer asked where Sloma left the items. Sloma stated she left them at the end of an aisle near the clothing section or school supply section. She estimated the value of the cart at $50 to $80, and later stated it may have been $100 because she had selected some clothing.
Sloma denied attempting to enter or exit through the garden center doors. She also stated she went to the store alone. After the officer told her the incident was captured on camera and that a male subject was reportedly with her, Sloma stated she could not remember whether her friend David was with her during the first or second visit to the business.
During the interview, Sloma admitted she had been to the Higginsville Wal-Mart twice during the previous two months. She stated she lived in Overland Park, Kansas, and traveled into the Saline County area to visit her mother and other family. The officer questioned why Sloma would pass several Wal-Mart stores along Interstate 70, then travel several miles out of her way to stop at the Higginsville Wal-Mart before returning to the interstate. Sloma then stated her aunt lived in Higginsville.
The probable cause statement notes that Sloma’s criminal history showed multiple arrests and convictions, including stealing and shoplifting in multiple counties, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance, and making a false police report. The officer requested a warrant based on alleged continuous acts of theft and Sloma’s alleged disregard for the law.
Sloma is now charged with two counts of burglary in the second degree and attempted stealing of $750 or more.
𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻:
