Hunter
12/02/21
An area transient known among Iowa City restaurant and business owners for his repeated incidents of shoplifting and skipping out on meals without paying for them took his enterprise elsewhere Wednesday, and was arrested for theft in Coralville.
Police say 26-year-old Amos Lavela was at the Target store around 12:45 pm when he was allegedly observed by store staff selecting items and placing them in his backpack. He walked past all points of sale without attempting to purchase the items, and reportedly still had the items in his possession when police made contact with him.
The value of the items allegedly taken by Lavela totaled over $373.
He was taken into custody and charged with 4th degree Theft, a serious misdemeanor punishable by a jail sentence of up to one year.
Lavela has a history of shoplifting food and beverages from the Waterfront Hy-Vee and the West Burlington Street Kum & Go, among other thefts.