A Maricopa man’s Independence Day ended in a burglary arrest after police say he shoplifted from a grocery store that banned him months earlier.  

Around 5 p.m. July 4, store security at Fry’s Marketplace on John Wayne Parkway allegedly saw Bennie Williams, 58, fill a shopping cart with merchandise and leave without paying, according to a probable cause statement. The stolen items totaled $161.29. 

Williams had been trespassed from the store in September 2025 after a similar shoplifting incident. At the time, he was released after signing a notice agreeing to stay away. 

Officers found Williams in the store’s security office. He told police he didn’t remember being banned from the property before declining to answer further questions. 

Police arrested Williams on suspicion of burglary in the third degree, a Class 4 felony.