DES MOINES -- A young member of Community Choice CU and his friend were arrested last night after a shopping spree at Merle Hay Mall after they allegedly picked up a bag containing $10,000 in cash that fell off an armored van leaving the downtown credit union yesterday morning.
Tyler Critchlow, 20, Samantha Jackman, 20, were both charged with first-degree theft, a Class C felony.
Jackman was driving behind the truck when its back door swung open, and the bag fell to the ground as the truck turned the corner, police said.
Critchlow jumped out of the passenger seat and picked up the bag before the guards from Rochester Armored Car Co. could retrieve it.
The guards told police the back door had malfunctioned. The incident occurred about 9:30 a.m.
Employees of the credit union recognized Critchlow as a member and Jackman as a former high school classmate and identified them by name to police.
After police broadcast the names of the suspects and a description of their red Chevy Cavalier, police spotted the car at the mall.
Officers waited outside and arrested the pair as they left the mall with more than $1,000 in clothing and jewelry in hand. They had some cash with them, and the rest was in the car, police said.
