BEDFORD — A routine shoplifting surveillance turned into a felony theft investigation on November 14, 2025, leading to the arrest of a local couple at the Bedford Walmart.
The Bedford Police Department responded to a call from Walmart Asset Protection regarding suspects, Shelby Lynn Keen Mairel, 25, and Travis Mairel, 35, who were believed to be attempting to steal merchandise.
An AP employee contacted Officer J. Landon Jones at approximately 4:00 p.m. on November 14th. Reed identified Travis and Shelby Mairel as individuals with a history of past theft at the store and suspected they were preparing to steal again.
Officer Jones arrived at the Walmart, located on John Williams Blvd, and remained in contact with AP staff as they monitored the couple. While waiting, Officer Jones confirmed an active protective order was in place between Travis and Shelby, with Shelby listed as the protected person.
At about 5:00 p.m., an AP employee informed officers that she witnessed the pair concealing items at a self-checkout register. Officers intercepted the Mairels as they exited the store on the east side, past all points of sale, with two shopping carts filled with merchandise.
Travis Mairel was immediately searched and officers found concealed merchandise in his pockets. He was advised of his rights but declined to answer questions regarding the protective order violation.
Shelby Lynn Keen Mairel was identified and escorted to the AP office. After being advised of her rights, she admitted to stealing items, stating she did so because Travis was controlling with their money, and she struggled to pay bills and buy groceries. She also revealed that Travis assisted her in the theft.
AP staff itemized the stolen goods, totaling $1,161.34.
Significantly, the stolen merchandise included a Zebra mobile printer, valued at $342.77, an internal Walmart tool used by employees to create price labels and not sold to the public.
Both Travis and Shelby Mairel were issued no-trespass forms banning them from the store and were transported to the Lawrence County Jail for housing. Shelby Mairel was reimbursed for the items she did legally purchase before being transported.
All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This article is based on the information provided in the Probable Cause Affidavit and does not represent a final determination of guilt or innocence.
