HURRICANE — Police arrested a husband and wife pair in connection with multiple alleged thefts of medication and other items at multiple stores throughout Washington County in November and December.
The pair, Daniel Ronald Aronson, 45, and Stacey Ann Aronson, 37, both of Las Vegas, were arrested on theft and drug charges by Hurricane City Police Thursday evening as they were leaving a Walmart store parking lot. A third suspect found with the couple, Cara Marie Martens, 35, of Las Vegas, also joined them in jail on similar charges.
The couple first became persons of interest after a man later identified by authorities as Daniel Aronson appeared on surveillance footage Nov. 27 in which he is allegedly observed at the Hurricane Walgreen’s medication aisle taking several boxes of over-the-counter medication.
“The male left the store without paying for the items and got into a maroon colored SUV and left,” the probable cause document filed in support of his arrest states.
Police reviewed surveillance footage from other pharmacies in the St. George area from the same day and observed same suspect, accompanied by a woman, allegedly stealing medication.
The value of the merchandise stolen between the separate thefts is between $1,500 and $5,000, according to the arresting document.
Police issued a public plea for assistance in identifying the suspect in November.
Read more: Thieves hit same Walgreens pharmacy twice in one day
About two weeks later, Washington City Police responded Thursday afternoon on report of a theft in progress at the Washington City Walmart on Telegraph Street.
A Walmart employee provided the suspect’s vehicle plate number, identified as a maroon Jeep Patriot.
The responding officer patrolled the parking lot of Walmart and surrounding businesses but did not locate the Jeep.
The Walmart employee showed police surveillance footage of a man matching Daniel Aronson’s description loading up a shopping cart with an array of items, including a drone, some tools, an Arrowhead brand backpack and several over-the-counter medications, all together totaling nearly $900 in value, according to arresting documents.
The Walmart employee told police she saw Daniel Arronson run out of the store with the filled shopping cart without paying for the items, the document states.
Washington City Police detectives informed officers with the Hurricane City Police Department that the suspect may be heading to the Hurricane Walmart next
Acting on that information, Hurricane Police located the Jeep at the Walmart on State Street in Hurricane and performed a traffic stop as it was leaving the store parking lot.
After the responding officer identified the driver as Daniel Aronson and matched his description with the suspect from the surveillance footage of previous alleged thefts, Daniel Aronson was arrested.
Police also identified one of the passengers in the Jeep, Stacey Aronson, as the female suspect from surveillance footage and placed her under arrest.
Martens was in the back seat of the Jeep with the couple and was also arrested after officers searched the vehicle and found drug paraphernalia consistent with the use of meth and heroin, for which all three suspects face charges.
The three were transported to the Hurricane Police Department for questioning.
Daniel Aronson denied taking anything from the Hurricane Walmart. He did, however, admit to taking a backpack and drone from the Washington City Walmart after being shown surveillance footage from that store, the arresting document states.
Besides the alleged thefts taking place Thursday and Nov. 27, Daniel Aronson is also suspected of stealing over $1,000 worth of merchandise from the Hurricane Walmart Nov. 11, according to arresting documents. He faces several felony charges of retail theft, in addition to multiple misdemeanor charges relating to drug and paraphernalia possession.
Stacey Aronson admitted to being with her husband as he stole medication at various stores, the arrest narrative states.
“She knew what he was doing and stated he would take it and sell it and had been up to Utah multiple times for this purpose,” the charging document said.
Stacey Aronson was charged with misdemeanor counts of conspiracy to commit theft and possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
Martens allegedly admitted to knowing about the thefts performed by Daniel Aronson. She was charged with misdemeanor counts of conspiracy to commit theft, possession of controlled substance and paraphernalia.
All three suspects remain in custody after being booked into Purgatory Correctional Facility in Hurricane.
Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
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Vegas criminals think these areas are easy pickens, they thought wrong.
They are easy pickens…that’s why it took two months to catch these pos…we need to triple the amount of law enforcement here in Washington County before the lake Powell Pipeline adds another 300,000 residents to the mix…keep your powder dry folks, and your doors locked, the “olden days” are over
More lazy people who steal from others. That there drone might be hard to use in the prison yard dude.
And please I hope the 3 of ya’s don’t have any offspring, doubtful tho. Please don’t….