Grocery cart leads to arrests

By BRENDA SOMMER bsommer@leader-news.com

Three people were arrested after reportedly trying to steal a cart of groceries.

According to El Campo Police, two women went to H-E-B grocery store, 306 N. Mechanic, shortly after 7 p.m. Thursday and filled a cart with meat, beer and other merchandise.

The women took the cart to the checkout stand and told the cashier they didn't have enough money and would get a friend to help them pay.

They then pushed the cart near the exit, and that's when Carl Eugene Gordon, 45, of Houston allegedly pushed the cart to his truck and tossed all the merchandise inside.

Store employees called police, who caught up with Gordon as he was leaving the store parking lot. After watching him reportedly drive over a curb, and noting he had no front license plate and an expired inspection sticker, police pulled him over.

"I saw a large quantity of unbagged groceries in his rear seat, truck bed and right front seat," Sgt. Neil Cranek said.

The officer also allegedly found a cold, half-full bottle of wine behind the front seat, and bags with still-tagged clothing from other stores inside the truck.

Gordon reportedly told the officers two women had stolen all the items: Taneeshia Lavonte Green, 30, of Bay City and LaKendra Veniece Harris, 26, of Austin. Those two women were found a few blocks away at a drug store.

Officers also discovered Green had allegedly passed a fake check earlier at the H-E-B gas station, and she was identified by store employees there.

After taking all three to the police station, officers found Gordon had a prior theft conviction from 1989. Green had three theft convictions, one in 1997 and two in 2001. Harris was found to have had four prior theft convictions: one each in 2002 and 2003 and two in 2004.

Gordon was arrested on charges of driving while intoxicated, theft between $20 and $500, no insurance and expired registration.

Green was charged with forgery of a financial instrument theft - two or more convictions, while Harris was charged with theft - two or more convictions.

All three remained in custody at Wharton County Jail at presstime Monday.