CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio — A suspected shoplifter who previously received a ban from Walmart was arrested Wednesday after walking out of the local store with over $600 worth of merchandise, only to complain of chest pains when officers caught up to him nearby.
The incident began on October 7, 2026, when Pickaway County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the Walmart on South Court Street following a report of a theft in progress. Store loss prevention officers reported that a male suspect—later identified as Jeffery L. Starkey—was concealing items inside a backpack and refused to stop when confronted after passing all points of sale. Starkey fled the store on foot, heading north along the sidewalk.
Cornered Near Marshalls
Circleville Police Department officers stepped in to assist with the search and located Starkey shortly after in front of the nearby Marshalls store on Summit Avenue. At the time of the stop, Starkey was carrying two backpacks.
While officers were detaining him, Starkey complained of chest pain, prompting officers to request an emergency squad.
When a deputy arrived on scene and read Starkey his Miranda rights, Starkey began mumbling incoherently. When asked directly if the two backpacks belonged to him, Starkey simply replied, “I don’t know.”
A Year-Old Ban and a Missing Signature
Walmart Loss Prevention staff informed deputies that Starkey had already been officially trespassed from all Walmart properties roughly a year prior, on October 13, 2025, following a previous theft arrest.
While loss prevention produced a digital copy of the trespass order, it lacked Starkey’s signature. A review of the original 2025 arrest report explained why: Starkey was already in handcuffs during that previous arrest and was physically unable to sign the document, though he was verbally notified of the ban.
A $628 Stash of Laundry Soap, Power Tools… and Candy
Members of the Pickaway Township Fire Department transported Starkey to OhioHealth Berger Hospital for medical evaluation. Once deputies verified the prior trespass order, Starkey was formally placed under arrest for Criminal Trespass, allowing officers to search the backpacks incident to arrest.
Inside the bags, deputies uncovered a haul of new, unopened merchandise totaling $628.85, including:
- An AstroAI tire pump ($54.77)
- Two bottles of Tide detergent ($49.00) and two bottles of Gain fabric softener ($37.94)
- Cobra walkie-talkies ($88.88)
- Four Hyper Tough work lights and two socket sets
- Huntworth gloves ($28.88)
- A Proscan Elite DVD player ($62.00)
- Two Anker power batteries ($99.96)
- Two new backpacks ($71.94)
Additionally, emergency medical staff located a freshly stolen bag of M&Ms ($9.48) on Starkey’s person. Store surveillance footage later confirmed Starkey entered the store empty-handed and filled a cart—and the backpacks—with the items before walking out.
All merchandise was photographed and returned to Walmart. Following his medical release from Berger Hospital, Starkey was booked into the Pickaway County Jail to await his initial appearance in Circleville Municipal Court.
