Lang
6/9/20
A man reported as an aggressive panhandler in recent months now faces charges that he stole hundreds of packs of cigarettes from an Iowa City convenience store while the clerk watched it happen.
According to Iowa City Police, 34-year old Trell Grant of the Town & Campus Apartments on Arthur Street first entered Delimart on Lower Muscatine Road just before 11pm Sunday night. Security video shows him going behind the counter, grabbing several packs of cigarettes and leaving without paying. The clerk is seen standing nearby and making no attempt to stop him.
Grant returned just before 1:15 Monday morning and again took more cigarettes as the clerk exited the store. Grant returned yet again just after 4:15am and once again took cigarettes from behind the counter as the clerk watched.
The manager who later reported the thefts told police the clerk never reported anything. In total, 230 packs of cigarettes were stolen totaling $1,745.50.
Grant was located Monday morning at 9:20 after employees at Style America on Muscatine Avenue reported that Grant was on their property and harassing customers. He was found across the street and charged with Trespassing.
Grant is trespassed from multiple properties on Muscatine Avenue, 1st Avenue and Lower Muscatine Road for aggressively panhandling and banging on car windows asking for money.
After his trespassing arrest, Grant admitted to stealing the cigarettes from Delimart. He also still had several packs of the stolen cigarettes on his person.
Grant is additionally charged with 2nd Degree Theft, a Class D felony punishable by a maximum of five years in prison.
There is no word on if any charges have been filed against the clerk.