Lang
2/6/24
An Iowa City man accused of using his children to help him steal from local businesses has been arrested again for the same offense..
30-year-old Terron Petersen of the Town & Campus Apartments on Arthur Street was booked into the Johnson County Jail just after 8:00 Sunday night. Iowa City Police say Peterson and his children entered Wal-Mart on Highway 1 West just after 9:45 on the night of January 21st, removed tags from merchandise and stuffed it into bags. The family then allegedly left the store past all points of purchase without paying. The total value of the stolen items is $247.74.
Petersen is charged with 5th Degree Theft and Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor. If convicted on both charges, he faces a maximum of 60 days in jail.
Police say Petersen and his children have had multiple encounters with other Iowa City businesses where they have been trespassed or observed stealing. They also reportedly have asked employees to give them free items and when denied, caused a scene and started cursing at staff when they called the police. Charges are pending in those cases.