Man arrested after theft and property damage at Walmart in Lacey 

A disturbance at the Walmart parking lot in the 1400 block of Galaxy Drive NE led to the arrest of an alleged robber on Jan. 8, according to the Lacey Police Department (LPD).  

Officers were dispatched to the scene at 5 p.m. after multiple reports of an altercation involving a male suspect, later identified as Alexander Hamlet. 

According to the reporting parties, the suspect was detained by Walmart employees after he allegedly assaulted a security guard and damaged two vehicles.  

Authorities arrived to find three Walmart employees restraining Hamlet in the parking lot and observed broken beer bottles on the ground. 

A Walmart security officer reported that he observed the suspect pushing a cart full of merchandise past the checkout area without paying.

When confronted by a receipt checker near the store’s entrance, Hamlet allegedly shoved the cart into the employee and continued toward the exit.  

The security officer intervened, attempting to stop the suspect, who then allegedly body slammed him.  

The suspect reportedly grabbed a six-pack of Stella Artois beer before heading outside. The security officer confronted the suspect in the parking lot again, asking for the beer back. 

According to the security officer, Hamlet responded by throwing beer bottles at him and nearby vehicles. One bottle struck and damaged the windshield of a 2020 silver Mazda CX-5.

The suspect threw another bottle at another vehicle and also damaged the windshield. The estimated cost of repairs for one windshield is around $1,000. 

Officers verified Hamlet’s identity through the Thurston County Jail’s fingerprint scanner, matching him to a prior arrest photo.

During questioning, the suspect admitted to stealing the merchandise, valued at $463, and acknowledged throwing the beer bottles.  

The suspect claimed he was unemployed and struggling, leading him to steal the grocery items.  

 “Hamlet stated that he did not know that the male trying to stop him was security and thought it was a ‘vigilante’ using his masculinity to prevent him from stealing. Hamlet admitted to throwing beer bottles at the vehicles and security officer,” the LPD stated in a police report. 

 Hamlet was taken into custody and booked into Thurston County Jail on charges of second-degree robbery and second-degree malicious mischief.