Bay City police officers were sent to the Spec's parking lot, at 3100 7th Street, about a black 2024 Kia, that was stolen around 4 p.m. Monday, Dec. 23.
While going to the call, the Asset Protection Officer at Walmart had called the Bay City Police Department about a car that struck a pole in the Walmart parking lot.
She told dispatch that the driver got out of the car and ran into the store.
Corporal Jose Soto, assumed the calls might be related, drove directly to Walmart, at 4600 7th Street, reports show.
Soto was given a picture of the male subject and told other officers that the man had already left the store.
A short time later, Officer Dillan Wakefield stopped the subject matching the description in the 5400 block of 7th Street, a short distance east of the store.
The man spoke mainly Spanish, but gave a false name, police said.
Officers later identified the man as Armando Lara, 38, from Mexico.
He was taken into custody without incident.
He was booked in for the unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and failure to ID.
The victim told officers that she ran into the store and left her car running.
She thought she locked her car, because she had the keys.
The Bay City Police Department reminds everyone that all it takes is a few seconds to get into an unattended vehicle.
Please double check your car to make sure it is locked after getting out of it.
