BEDFORD— A Bedford man was arrested Monday after allegedly stealing from a local Walmart and being found in possession of methamphetamine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia, police said.
Kevin A. Vandyck, 32, was taken into custody around 3:10 p.m. on July 7 after officers responded to a theft report at the Walmart on the 3200 block of John Williams Boulevard. According to police, Walmart Asset Protection reported that a man wearing a backpack and a backwards hat had stolen items and fled on a scooter.
Officer J. Landon Jones of the Bedford Police Department spotted a man matching the description riding east on 16th Street and stopped him near the intersection of Limestone Drive. The man, later identified as Vandyck, admitted he had just left Walmart and consented to a search.
During the search, officers discovered multiple stolen items, including a Maverick Mini torch lighter, along with drug-related items. Inside Vandyck’s pockets and fanny pack, officers found lighters, a glass smoking device with a wax-like substance, and a metal container holding a crystal-like substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine. The wax-like material tested positive for marijuana.
Walmart Asset Protection later provided officers with an empty drink container and packaging for the torch lighter, confirming the items were taken without payment. Vandyck was also found in possession of several markers reportedly taken from the store.
Police said Vandyck claimed ownership of the marijuana and smoking device but denied knowing about the methamphetamine.
Following his arrest, Vandyck was processed at the Bedford Police Department and transported to the Lawrence County Jail. He faces preliminary charges of theft, possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, and possession of paraphernalia.
Walmart issued a trespass order against Vandyck, barring him from returning to the store. Officers stored his electric scooter for safekeeping.
Those arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
