Suspect in Frazer Walmart thefts had drugs in car, police say

A Pittsburgh man was arrested by Frazer police last Saturday for five separate thefts of Walmart items valued at about $2,500, according to Police Chief Terry Kuhns.

Albert Swoope, 48, of Pittsburgh, was taken to Allegheny County Jail after failing to post $10,000 bond. He is charged with retail theft, obstructing administration of law or other government function, resisting arrest, and public drunkenness.

Frazer officers already had a warrant for Swoope’s arrest because he was a suspect in previous Walmart thefts when he showed up at the Pittsburgh Mills Walmart last Saturday afternoon.

As Swoope was hurriedly loading the merchandise into his car, officers approached him and he resisted arrest, according to the account in his arrest papers. Police said Swoope attempted to push past one officer and, in the ensuing struggle, both men fell to the ground. Eventually, Swoope was handcuffed and taken into custody.

Once in the police car, Swoope complained of having difficulty breathing. When an officer went to Swoope’s car to get his inhaler, police said the officer found a suspected crack pipe on the driver’s front seat.

Kuhns said police seized Swoope’s car. After getting a search warrant, police said they found illicit drugs, including about an eighth of an ounce of crack cocaine valued at between $250 and $300, three scales with a powder on them as well as suspected heroin.

“The guy was probably moving a lot more crack or heroin,” Kuhns said. “This was an individual that was obviously engaged in the thefts from Walmart as a repeating offender. Utilizing our surveillance systems, we were able to catch him.”

Kuhns said the five Walmart thefts police accuse Swoope of committing took place between March 11 and May 1.

“The most significant part is catching him on the fifth theft he committed here — literally red-handed — in the course of the act,” Kuhns said.

A preliminary hearing for Swoope before Harmar District Judge Davi Sosovicka is scheduled for 10 a.m. May 10.