Iowa City man charged with stealing wallet and using credit card at convenience store

Hunter
05/15/23

An Iowa City man was arrested last week after he allegedly stole a phone and wallet, later using a credit card to purchase alcohol and cigarettes.

The incident occurred on Thursday afternoon.  59-year-old Curtis Seals of Crosspark Avenue reportedly was seen on surveillance video at Dollar Tree on Sycamore Street just after 3:30 pm, taking a shopping cart outside the store that had a phone with wallet left in the cart.  He then reportedly went to the Kwik Star on Keokuk Street less than 15 minutes later and allegedly purchased alcohol and cigarettes with a credit card from the stolen wallet.

Police went to speak with Seals about the incidents at around 7 that night, and reportedly found him in a state of intoxication with bloodshot watery eyes, slurred speech and a strong odor of ingested alcohol. During a search incident to his subsequent arrest, a glass pipe with suspected meth residue was allegedly found on his person.

Seals has been charged with 3rd degree Theft, Unauthorized Use of a Credit Card, Public Intoxication, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.  If convicted on all counts, he could be sentenced to up to  over four years in jail.