Two Charged With Organized Retail Theft

Employees at the Love’s Travel Center on Tuesday unknowingly helped capture a pair of thieves responsible to over $1,000 in thefts in the area. Employees watched as a man took a backpack and filled it with items valuing over $100 and then along with a woman, left the store. Employees confronted the two outside and the male subject stated he was stealing the items for the woman. Love’s gave police a description of the car the pair left in. The man was identified as 33 year old John Norwood, the female was 34 year old April Stokely. Police spotted Norwood at Lowe’s a little later, Stokely was at Marshal’s waiting to pick Norwood up from Lowe’s. Management with Lowe’s then told police of two thefts earlier this month and Norwood and Stokely were the culprits. The value of the goods stolen from Lowe’s was over $1400. Norwood admitted to taking two tool sets from Lowe’s and pawing them at Peddler’s Pawn for cash. Norwood was also found to have shoplifted $440 worth of merchandise from Food City West as well, the day before. Both Norwood and Stokely have been charged with theft and criminal conspiracy. Since they sold some of the stolen goods, they have been charged as well with organized retail theft.