by Matt Wilson

matt.wilson@fct.wpengine.com

Two men have been arrested after police said they worked together to steal a big screen television from the Wal-Mart in Russellville on Feb. 27, according to officials.

Russellville Police Chief Chris Hargett said that Scott Derek Mitchell, 34, 264 Evans St., Hackleburg, is charged with receiving a commercial bribe and second-degree theft of property, and Rodney Keith King, 45 Westside Plaza Apartments, Apartment 184, Russellville, is charged with second-degree theft of property.

King is accused of giving Mitchell $100 to look the other way as he took a 50-inch television from Wal-Mart, according to Hargett.

Surveillance video was used by investigators to identify King and eventually make the arrest.

“Initially we didn’t know who the man in the video was,” Hargett said. “But one of our investigators recognized him from previous involvements and we were able to start looking for him.”

Hargett said King tried to take a larger television initially, but was unable to carry it by himself. King then took the smaller, 50-inch television from the Russellville store and tried to trade it in for a larger one at a Wal-Mart in Muscle Shoals, Ala., according to Hargett.

Mitchell is out of jail on bail of $4,500 and King is out of jail on bail of $2,500.