Anderson Walmart theft leads to local man’s arrest

December 5, 2021 Trevor Montgomery

ANDERSON, Calif., — Authorities say a local man who attempted to steal thousands of dollars worth of high-value merchandise from an Anderson Walmart led to the man’s arrest Saturday evening, Dec. 4.

With retail thefts, smash and grab robberies, and tag team group-thefts on the rise throughout the nation, retail outlets and businesses around the country are beginning to tighten their security, while calling for stricter laws related to retail thefts.

The issue has also brought to light what one witness to last night’s arrest referred to today as our nation’s “broken justice system”, especially when it comes to crimes – once considered felonies – that are now treated as releasable misdemeanors. The ongoing problem has left many local, state, and national lawmakers calling for changes to existing policies, along with tougher treatment of those suspected of retail theft.

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City of Anderson police officers were dispatched to the Walmart located at 5000 Rhonda Road around 7 p.m. after receiving reports of a theft in progress occurring at the busy business, Anderson PD has since said of the incident and arrest.

Upon arrival, officers located and detained James Dennis Potter, 24, of Anderson, at the scene. Officers subsequently located and recovered merchandise from this theft, “along with several other (thefts),” according to APD.

“The offender … had been on the radar of Walmart Loss Prevention staff due to multiple recent thefts, totaling in excess of $7,000.00 in value,” APD went on to report.

James Potter, 24, of Anderson, was arrested, and then released, after allegedly stealing thousands of dollars worth of merchandise from an Anderson Walmart last night. Anderson PD photo

During their subsequent investigation, officers learned that on the evening of this incident Potter was observed by the store’s loss prevention officers breaking into and concealing high-value merchandise from inside one of the business’s locked glass display cases. He was also captured on the store’s surveillance cameras, and that footage was later obtained by officers to aid in Potter’s prosecution.

Based on their investigation, officers arrested Potter and he was later booked into the Shasta County Jail in Redding on suspicion of burglary and grand theft.

Despite being caught in the act of stealing thousands of dollars in merchandise, jail records indicate Potter has already been released from custody.

According to Cottonwood resident Jim Walker, who was at the Walmart when the arrest occurred and witnessed Potter being taken into custody, the suspect’s arrest and quick release is just another case that highlights the need for tougher retail theft laws.

“This is exactly what is wrong with our country today,” Walker told SCNS this morning, after learning that Potter had already been released and was no longer in custody. “These asshats are constantly getting arrested, and then released; which just serves to further embolden them to continue committing these crimes.”

“Our nation’s ‘catch and release’ laws are ridiculous and an affront to those of us who work hard for a living,” Walker continued; adding, “Until the laws change, things are just going to keep getting worse. Much worse.”

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Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 50, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source (RCNS) and Shasta County News Source (SCNS).

Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; the Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County; and Mountain Echo in Shasta County. He is also a regular contributor to Thin Blue Line TV and Law Enforcement News Network and has had his stories featured on news stations throughout the Southern California and North State regions.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.

Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 30 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 18 grandchildren.