City police arrested a Monterey woman on Jan. 20 after she allegedly attempted to steal a shopping cart load of merchandise from Walmart.

According to Police Chief Randy Caplinger, Tasha Marie Cooke, 30, was charged with theft after an officer responding to a call of a shoplifter spoke with an employee of the store who told him that Cooke had filled a shopping cart full of items and proceeded out the front door and into the parking lot. Cooke allegedly told the policeman that she was stealing the items, valued at $1,742, for her friends.

Her bond was set at $5,000, and she will appear in court on Feb. 12.

Meanwhile, 20-year-old Jackson Cripps and 19-year-old Ethan Byford have been charged with evading arrest. The chief said an officer witnessed two trucks drag racing on West Broad Street at speeds over 90 miles per hour and attempted to stop the vehicles, which continued west. Another city squad car and a county deputy soon joined the pursuit.

The driver of one truck, who was revealed to be Cripps, was eventually pulled over on Snow Hill and placed under arrest. Pursuit of the other racer was terminated after officers obtained his license number.

Byford later turned himself in and allegedly admitted to being the driver of the other truck.

Roberto Valerio, 18, has been cited for theft of merchandise.

An officer dispatched to Walmart was told by an employee of the store that a man in the sporting goods department was using a knife to cut open packages, and was concealing goods in his clothing.

The officer soon located Valerio, who was allegedly caught in the act of trying to empty a box containing speakers. A knife was reportedly found in his pocket. The value of the items Valerio attempted to steal was reported at $127.

Jessica Renee Scruggs, 26, has also been cited for theft of merchandise.

Caplinger said that an officer dispatched to Walmart to check out a reported shoplifter spoke with a store employee who told him Scruggs was seen concealing merchandise in her purse and jacket. Scruggs was confronted, and allegedly admitted to the thefts.

Lacey Nicole Hamilton, 29, has been cited for theft of merchandise as well.

The chief said an officer called to Walmart on reports of a shoplifter was told by a store employee that Hamilton was seen attempting to conceal items of clothing in her purse.

Jason Stembridge, 31, has been cited for shoplifting, simple possession of Schedule VI and II drugs, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Caplinger said police dispatched to Dollar General spoke with the store manager, who claimed that Stembridge had been seen placing merchandise inside his coat sleeve. The officer confronted the man, who was allegedly found with items from the store, as well as a silver pill container, a blue pill crusher in his pocket containing a straw and pills thought to be hydrocodone, and a plastic bag holding a substance believed to be marijuana.

McKinley Turner, 18, has been cited for shoplifting after allegedly opening packages at Walmart and concealing the merchandise on her person. The chief said she admitted to the theft after being confronted.