Trio in St. Louis County Costco wallet heist linked to lengthy crime spree
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – Authorities arrested three people after they allegedly stole a woman's wallet at a St. Louis County Costco store and used her debit cards at a nearby Walmart.
The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office has filed charges against two of the three suspects as of Thursday. Reginald McNeal, 58, and Ladaisey Atwater, 37, both from the Chicago region, face felony charges for stealing and fraudulent use of a debit card.
Investigators say a third suspect was arrested, but has not been formally charge in the case as of Thursday.
According to court documents obtained by FOX 2, the suspects accused in the St. Louis County Costco wallet heist have also been arrested for stealing purses and credit cards at Costco locations in other jurisdictions.
Court documents allege that the wallet theft and credit card transactions happened on April 19, 2023, at Costco and Walmart locations along Highland Boulevard in the City of Manchester.
Investigators say, while shopping at Costco, a woman noticed that her wallet was missing from her purse. A short time later, she noticed her debit card had been used to make multiple purchases from the nearby Walmart in excess of $750.
Authorities later reviewed surveillance footage of the nearby businesses, which showed two female suspects and one male suspect inside the Costco and Walmart locations at various times that day.
Local authorities later identified the suspects as Atwater, McNeal and another female suspect as the group accused of stealing the women's wallet and using her debit card. Investigators later learned that the trio was accused in a strong of Costco thefts elsewhere, and officers involved in those previous investigations were able to identify the suspects through surveillance footage.
Atwater has a criminal setting hearing scheduled for Dec. 16 in the case, while McNeal has a criminal setting hearing scheduled for Dec. 17, according to online Missouri court records.
