A 52-year-old man was arrested last week following a shoplifting incident at a local Walmart that led to a brief foot pursuit near the train tracks and required assistance from the Summerville Police Department to identify the suspect.

Kevin Alphonso Boykin, 52, was taken into custody on October 1, 2025, and charged with Theft by Shoplifting after reportedly attempting to steal multiple items, including several watches and a scarf, from the store.

According to a report released by the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office, officers were dispatched to Walmart shortly after noon on October 1 regarding a shoplifting suspect—described as a black male wearing all black clothing—who had allegedly concealed items in his pants and fled the building.

A responding deputy was advised that the suspect was heading toward the train tracks near Back Penn Rd. Upon arriving in the area, the deputy located a male fitting the description several hundred yards away on the tracks. However, the suspect spotted the patrol vehicle, turned, and disappeared back into the wood line.

CCTV Footage Leads to Breakthrough

While the deputy continued the search operation in the area, another deputy returned to Walmart to review surveillance footage. The store’s CCTV captured a clear image of the suspect.

Deputies shared the security image with other local law enforcement forces. A Summerville Police Department detective successfully identified the individual as Kevin Boykin.

The video footage also provided details of the theft, showing Boykin taking several items past the points of sale. When confronted by loss prevention staff, the suspect reportedly placed some of the stolen merchandise into a random shopping buggy being pushed by an elderly female customer before attempting to exit the store.

Capture and Recovery

With a positive identification, deputies soon located and detained Boykin in the 100 block of Memorial Drive.

When deputies searched the suspect, they recovered several watches and a black scarf from his pockets. These items still had price tags and plastic material consistent with newly stolen merchandise.

The recovered property was taken back to Walmart, where loss prevention confirmed the items were stolen earlier that day. Store video showed Boykin arriving at the store around 11:54 AM and spending time in the shoe aisle removing watches from their packaging before exiting the store without paying around 12:37 PM, coinciding with the initial call time.

Mr. Boykin was transported to the Chattooga County Jail without further incident. The stolen property was successfully returned to the Loss Prevention agent.