Texarkana police say Walmart refrigerant theft suspect arrested in South Texas, tied to Little Rock burglaries

TEXARKANA, Ark. – A 26-year-old man accused of breaking into a secured area at the Arkansas Boulevard Walmart and hauling off about $7,200 worth of commercial refrigerant was arrested in South Texas later the same day, the Texarkana Arkansas Police Department said Friday.

Officers were called to the store at 133 Arkansas Blvd. about 11:39 a.m. Thursday for a reported theft, police said in a news release. They learned someone had forced entry into the area that houses the store’s refrigeration equipment, damaging a gate and a door frame before removing the refrigerant.

Investigators reviewed surveillance footage and identified Adrain Quevedo, 26, as the suspect, the release said. Police said the investigation also turned up information connecting Quevedo to similar commercial burglaries in the Little Rock area involving more than $25,000 in stolen commercial materials.

TAPD obtained a warrant charging Quevedo with theft of property over $5,000. Later Thursday, officers in South Texas found him and took him into custody on the Texarkana warrant, police said. During that encounter, officers found stolen property in his possession, and he was also arrested on a charge of possession of stolen property, according to the release.

According to jail records Quevedo was arrested by Texas DPS in Hidalgo County, Texas. Court records in Hidalgo county show an extensive criminal history for Quevedo.

“This case demonstrates the importance of thorough investigative work and cooperation between law enforcement agencies across jurisdictional boundaries,” the department said.

No case had been filed against Quevedo in Miller County Circuit Court as of Friday afternoon.

All charges are allegations, and Quevedo is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.