London man accused of shoplifting DVDs

By Jane Beathard

Staff Writer

A London-area man, suspected of shoplifting dozens of items from Walmart stores in five cities is in Tri-County Regional Jail under $1,000 cash or surety bond.

Ralph E. Dunston, 30, 2670 state Route 323, pleaded not guilty in Madison County Municipal Court on Wednesday to multiple charges of theft and criminal trespass, stemming from a series of incidents at the London Walmart, 375 Lafayette St. He’s accused of stealing DVDs, a television and gloves with a total value of $520 between Aug. 13 and Oct. 1.

Jesse Stacy was appointed to represent Dunston at an Oct. 29 pre-trial.

Information regarding thefts from other Walmarts was forwarded to those jurisdictions for future prosecution, according to London Police Chief Dave Wiseman.

According to a London police report, Dunston is accused of stealing items, then selling the goods or returning them to other Walmarts for cash.

He was banned from the London Walmart in early 2011 after security employees suspected him of shoplifting. But, Dunston continued to patronize the big-box store.

On Sept. 26, Officer Greg Perkins and Madison County Sheriff’s deputies followed Dunston on his “daily travels” to other southwestern Ohio cities.

The report said Dunston visited Walmarts in London, Washington Court House, Wilmington, Huber Heights and Xenia, then stopped at a Dayton video store to trade in two blue-ray DVDs obtained in London. Officers later confiscated those DVDs as evidence.

Other people may be charged in the thefts.