Hobart Councilman Nabbed Stealing Meat At Walmart
On January 16, 2025, at approximately 9:38 PM, Valparaiso Police were dispatched to Walmart (2400 E. Morthland Dr.) in reference to a shoplifting incident, according to police reports.
Upon arrival, officers met with Walmart loss prevention who had a male subject, now identified as William Perryman, 51, of Hobart detained in their office.
Loss Prevention advised that while conducting remote surveillance in the loss prevention office of the live footage self-checkout lanes, they observed Perryman at lane 11. On camera they observed Perryman bag his merchandise prior to scanning items. Perryman selected multiples of the same item and would scan only one of them numerous times; however, it would not amount to the actual number of items he bagged.
Perryman was seen bagging two packages of steak into one bag, and scanning only the top package, he bagged seven packages of ground beef, scanning one of the packages five times, and was seen bagging numerous packages of ‘Knorr’ instant meals, scanning less than the amount bagged. Perryman also bagged two separate brand-name packages of paper plates that were priced differently and scanned the least expensive package twice.
Perryman was detained after exiting the store after passing all final points of sale without paying for the stolen items, according to the report.
Loss Prevention provided officers with an itemized receipt that valued the recovered items at $98.71.
Perryman voluntarily provided statements to officers stating, that he accidentally forgot to scan the items and offered to pay for the items he did not scan. When referencing the surveillance footage of him scanning the steak, officers asked if he was aware that there were two steaks in the bag as he scanned only one and he said yes. When asked if he scanned the first steak, he was aware that he did not scan the second, Perryman said yes.
Perryman explained to officers that he was shopping for his mother. He stated that he lives in Hobart but decided to shop at the Walmart in Valparaiso due to convenience.
Perryman was charged with Theft a Class A Misdemeanor and was issued a refund for the items he did purchase. Perryman was not trespassed.
“This does not reflect the Hobart City Council as a whole,” Hobart Mayor Josh Huddlestun told RNS. “The other six members work tirelessly for our community and remain committed to doing what is best for the city,” Huddlestun added.
