Cops in Tangipahoa Parish say they have busted a Louisiana man they say spend seven hours stealing items from a Mississippi Walmart.
The sheriff's office today announced the arrest of 47-year-old Joseph Hollingsworth of Tickfaw.
"He was found to be in possession of nearly $7,000 worth of stolen property," TPSO said in a news release. "Detectives received a Crime Stoppers Tip regarding Hollingsworth committing burglaries."
TPSO
Detectives say they could not link Hollingsworth to any cases in Tangipahoa Parish, but then put two and two together.
"The Picayune Police Department published a press release asking the public to help identify the suspect of a Walmart Burglary."
Tangipahoa investigators say that was Hollingsworth.
"The suspect was seen on security cameras going in and out of the Picayune Walmart on June 27, 2023, stealing items over a seven-hour period. According to investigators with the Picayune Police Department, the suspect dressed as a Walmart employee and walked through the store during business hours. At some point during the day, he disabled the fire exit in order to return overnight and enter the store."
TPSO contacted the Picayune Police Department.
"They were able to verify that the suspect vehicle in the Walmart security footage matched the vehicle described in the tip. With this information detectives conducted a search warrant of Hollingsworth's home on Highway 51 in Tickfaw. Upon arrival, Hollingsworth provided a full confession and was even wearing the same shoes seen in the Walmart security footage. Also located was the Walmart employee uniform he was wearing during the burglary."
Hollingsworth was booked into the Tangipahoa Parish Jail.
"TPSO detectives recovered a total of 173 items (made of up 46 products) with a value of $6,950. The recovered items were later turned over to the Picayune Police Department and returned to the Picayune Walmart."
Police say Hollingsworth had other stolen items that were not from the Picayune Walmart.
"(He) implied they were stolen from other businesses across southeast Louisiana. He further admitted to having previously sold many other stolen items taken from various other burglaries, and has even been named as the suspect in another Walmart burglary in Slidell, LA."
The Picayune Police Department says they linked Hollingsworth to six commercial burglaries going back to 2020.
