Detroit Lakes (trfnews.i234.me) — Doug William Turner, 22, of Flint, Michigan, has been charged in Becker County District Court with felony theft by swindle.
The charge follows a reported theft at the Detroit Lakes Walmart. According to court records, Walmart reported the case on Feb. 17. The alleged theft happened on Feb. 12.
Investigators say Turner entered the store and went to the electronics department. He allegedly selected a PS5 hard drive and two HP laptop computers.
The items had an estimated total value of about $1,400. Store security video recorded the man during the incident, according to court records.
Alleged Cash Card Scam Reported
The man brought the items to a register and scanned them in a normal way. When payment was due, he placed a card into the card reader.
Court records say he leaned over the card reader and pressed a specific button. That action caused the machine to print a receipt.
The receipt made it appear that payment had been made. However, no money was removed from the card, according to the complaint.
The man then left the store with the electronics. Walmart security described the method as a “cash card” scam.
Turner Identified In Investigation
On March 23, a Detroit Lakes investigator completed a follow-up interview with a Walmart employee. The employee said the button pressed was a cash button.
That button allegedly caused the employee to believe Turner had paid. Court records say no money was exchanged.
Turner was first identified as a suspect through AI recognition software, according to the complaint. Investigators then used an interstate law enforcement database.
Authorities obtained mugshots from prior arrests in Wisconsin and Florida. Those images were compared with Walmart security photos.
Investigators said the comparison helped confirm Turner as the suspect. Court records also claim Turner was tied to other Walmart incidents.
One uncharged Minnesota case allegedly happened at the Walmart in Waseca. In that case, Turner allegedly stole more than $1,150 in goods on Feb. 11.
Warrant Issued In Becker County
The complaint also lists prior felony convictions. Those include retail theft cases in Florida and Wisconsin, and robbery in Michigan.
Minnesota law allows thefts within a six-month period to be combined in some cases. More information on Minnesota courts is available through the Minnesota Judicial Branch.
On March 24, an arrest warrant for Turner was issued in Becker County District Court. Local county information is available through Becker County.
A criminal charge is not a conviction. Turner is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
