Ashland police seek duo wanted for pepper spraying Walmart cashiers during robbery

Ashland Police Department
Ashland Police Department

Ashland police are searching for two people accused of pepper spraying Walmart employees during a robbery.

The thieves apparently left the store with three Apple series 8 watches and two Apple iPads, according to an Ashland police report obtained by the Times-Gazette.

The robbery took place about 10:16 p.m. Monday at the Walmart store at 1996 E. Main St. in Ashland, police officers wrote in their report.

Credit card declined during purchase attempt

The incident began with the two suspects pushing a shopping cart through the Walmart store, filling it with innocuous items such as a wreath and a package of softballs.

The pair — one man and one woman — then made their way to the electronics department. They selected several Apple products for purchase, then made their way to the register in the electronics department.

"They were trying to check out at the electronics counter with three Apple series 8 watches and two Apple iPads," the police report reads.

The duo attempted to pay a store employee with a credit card, which was declined.

"The male attempted to pay for the items in cash, but wanted to grab the products first before paying," the police report reads.

'The female sprayed them with pepper spray'

The employee who was working the electronics counter told police that, during the attempted transaction, store workers looked down at the items the man was grabbing.

"When (they) looked back up at the two suspects, the female sprayed them with pepper spray," the police report reads.

The cashier told police that the woman then sprayed another nearby Walmart employee with pepper spray.

The cashier said the workers then "attempted to grab the electronics, but the female had already grabbed them and they took off running out the store."

The employee reportedly then radioed to other Walmart associates that a robbery was taking place.

'Suspects left the scene in a gray Jeep SUV'

The man reportedly grabbed the three Apple series 8 watches and two Apple iPads during the escape.

"On the register there was the sales transaction with an amount of $2,423.55, (sub total of $2,265.00)," the police report reads.

Officers took the shopping cart and package of softballs as evidence so that they could collect fingerprints from the suspects.

"The two suspects left the scene in a gray Jeep SUV, headed eastbound on E. Main St. towards I-71," the police report reads.

The incident remains under investigation.

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Twitter: @zachtuggle

This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Two flee Ashland Walmart after pepper-spraying cashiers, grabbing items