Liquor larceny suspects arrested in Smithfield
SMITHFIELD, Va. (WAVY) —Following a third ABC store theft in Smithfield in the past two months, police arrested three people Monday evening, police said, and at least two of the suspects are believed to be connected to one of the previous thefts.
Police told 10 On Your Side’s Amy Avery that they were able to get a good description of the suspects from witnesses, and followed them and conducted a traffic stop. Police, who have been investigating a pair of ABC store thefts in December and January, said they believe two of the suspects also committed the January ABC store theft.
The suspects caught Monday had about $1,500 of stolen liquor on them, police said. There was a fourth person, under the age of 18, with them, and investigators said they will likely be released pending charges.
The three people arrested include Michael Brown, 40; John Wood, 32 and Iyona Ankum, 22. All three face charges of conspiracy to commit grand larceny, grand larceny and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Wood also faces two charges of petit larceny, and he and Ankum both face charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Ankum also faces a charge of drinking while operating a motor vehicle. A boy under the age of 18 has charges pending.
Smithfield Police said other charges may be pending.
All the thefts over the past two months are alleged to have taken place at the location on South Church Street. They say in late December, two men walked into the store, grabbed about $1,000 dollars worth of merchandise in two minutes and left.
In the second incident in early January, two men came in twice in one day to steal liquor. In the first incident they stole about $600 dollars worth, then about $700 the second time.
“They put them in their pockets or held onto them,” said Smithfield Police Lt. William Wooley. “They left for about two hours and then they came back the same day with bags and they stole more items.”
Wooley said they don’t believe the same two men committed the two previous larcenies in December and January, but they believe all four men have ties to other ABC store thefts in Hampton Roads. He said investigators in Suffolk recognized the men.
“What we see with these is that when they are doing the serial types,” Wooley said, “they’ll go to stores that they’re either not close to or they’ll hit multiple jurisdictions and then it’s on us to see where they went.”
Wooley said the ABC store in Smithfield is no stranger to theft.
They took 26 reports there last year and made nine arrests. Approximately $5,000 dollars worth of merchandise was stolen last year in 2023 from the ABC Store on Church Street and about $1,500 dollars worth already this year.
This incident comes right around the time a man stole about $3,200 worth of liquor from a Portsmouth ABC store by putting the bottles down his pants. The Portsmouth store where this happened was forced to remodel and re-open with counter service only.
VIDEO: Portsmouth ABC store suspect loaded down with alcohol
Virginia ABC says it’s working on what it calls a multi-pronged approach to tackling theft at its stores. They have not yet approved plans to convert other locations to counter service.
Wooley hopes other changes — like security — come too.
“I’d love to see the ABC stores have better cameras,” Wooley said, “and they also have the opportunity to hire security like the DMVs as a state-run agency.”
If you recognize any of the suspects, call the crime line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP, or use the P-3 tips App. There’s also a $1,500 dollar reward, according to Smithfield’s Facebook post for any information that leads to an arrest.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com.
