After the Linton Police Department posted photos of a suspect on their Facebook page, tips helped to identify the suspect, as well as his location.

Tab Leslie Morris, 48, Bedford, was arrested by Officer Janzen Franklin of the Linton Police Department on Sunday, January 17.

Morris is accused of stealing a wallet full of cash and credit cards, then using a credit card to purchase cartons of cigarettes and a lot of lottery tickets.

On Wednesday, January 6, the LPD received a report that a man’s wallet was missing and believed stolen in Linton the night before, and that one of the man’s credit cards had been used at two businesses in Bloomfield.

The owner of the wallet had gone to Chuckles gas station in Linton around 9:25 p.m. on Tuesday, January 5. He pumped some gas and when he left the station, he thought he had put his wallet in the pocket of his sweatshirt. The next morning, he realized his wallet was missing. Then he discovered a transaction had occurred using one of his credit cards at Huck’s gas station in Bloomfield and another transaction at the Picnic Basket in Bloomfield.

When Officer Franklin viewed video surveillance from Chuckles, he observed the owner of the wallet leaving the gas station. He also observed another man, later identified as Tab Morris, driving a red 2006 Chevrolet Silverado, come to an abrupt stop near the pump where the wallet owner had been parked. Morris allegedly got out and walked over to the pump, picked up an object then left. He was wearing a black zip jacket, blue jeans and a black ball cap with red lettering.

Officer Franklin saw the same man, Morris, wearing the same clothing, when he viewed video surveillance at Huck’s, where Morris allegedly used the card to purchase two cartons of cigarettes for $136.17.

Video surveillance at the Picnic Basket showed the same man, Morris, wearing the same clothing, purchasing $195 of lottery tickets.

A couple of the photos taken from video surveillance that were posted on the Linton Police Department’s Facebook page. Photos courtesy LPD

Officer Franklin got numerous photographs from the videos and some were posted on the police department’s Facebook page. They then received tips through Greene County Crimestoppers identifying the man as Morris, and they received tips as to his location – in the Bedford area.

When Officer Franklin contacted the Bedford Police Department, an officer was also able to identify the man as Tab Morris. Of note: Court records show Morris has a criminal record and some cases pending in Lawrence County.

Officer Franklin and LPD Officer John Agan then traveled to Bedford where they talked to several individuals familiar with Morris and they confirmed Morris had said he took a wallet and was going to turn himself in.

On the day of his arrest, Morris did go in to the Linton Police Department and talked to Officer Adam King. Morris allegedly confessed to stealing the wallet and making the purchases with a credit card from the wallet.

Morris was booked into the Greene County Jail at 5:17 p.m. His bond was set at $9,000 surety with ten percent cash allowed. As of late today, Tuesday, January 17, he has not yet posted bond and remains in jail.

The date for an initial hearing has not been set but when he appears in Greene Superior Court, he will be facing preliminary charges of two counts of fraud, both Level 6 felonies, and one count of theft, a Class A misdemeanor.