MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A cellphone helped track a criminal who is now behind bars.
Police said Sanders Caldwell stole someone’s van in broad daylight from the parking lot of a Walgreens on Tuesday. The van’s owner, a delivery driver, noticed it was gone when he came back outside from making a delivery at the store on 1863 Union Avenue.
People who shop at the Walgreens everyday were shocked to learn police found the stolen van all because of a cellphone.
“I think that’s a good thing. I personally have an iPhone, so there’s a feature where you can track if your phone comes up stolen or anything,” Sondra Watson said.
The victim contacted police as soon as he noticed his van was stolen. By using an officer’s phone, he was able to track his cellphone that was inside the van, which made it easy for police to find it.
“I think it’s good he had a telephone that could track it for him to get his vehicle,” said James Anderson, who comes to the Walgreens daily with his wife to get medicine.
He said what happened there Tuesday morning makes him afraid to go anywhere.
“Now a lot of us are afraid to come out to the store because of what’s been happening so much, it’s just shame for what’s going on,” he said.
Police said when they found the stolen van near South Parkway, they saw Caldwell getting out of it with the keys in his pocket and the victim’s cellphone. Police said Caldwell also had screwdrivers and a knife when he was arrested.
Watson says this teaches her a lesson.
“Very bold, very bold, but in this area I’ve personally seen a lot of panhandlers and that type of thing, so you just have to be cautious,” she said.
In a separate incident, Caldwell was wanted for theft of property and evading arrest.
He has several court dates, the first being on July 31.
