Records show tribal police detective's alleged pattern of shoplifting; felony charges under review
Detective could face felony charges for alleged Walmart shoplifting
A tribal police detective sworn to uphold the law is now accused of breaking it repeatedly over a three-month period. FOX 10 Investigator Justin Lum reports.
NAVAJO COUNTY, Ariz. - A tribal police detective sworn to uphold the law is now accused of breaking it repeatedly over a three-month period.
The Navajo County Attorney’s Office is reviewing new shoplifting charges against White Mountain Apache Police Detective Sgt. Melissa Ward.
What we know:
What began as a single citation has evolved into an investigation involving seven separate incidents that could cost Ward her career and lead to multiple felony charges.
FOX 10 obtained evidence from the Show Low Police Department, including surveillance video and photos that investigators say demonstrate a pattern of theft.
White Mountain Apache Police Detective Sgt. Melissa Ward
In body camera footage, an officer is overheard speaking to Ward as she sits in the back of a patrol car on Oct. 6:
OFFICER: "Hey Melissa, what were you thinking? I mean, I don't understand, why would you put your career on the line for something foolish like this? It's not, it's not worth it."
Ward’s response is difficult to hear in the recording. While she was initially cited for shoplifting that day, police say the case involves much more than a single instance of petty theft.
The various incidents took place at a Walmart in Show Low. In one video, a Show Low officer speaks with a captain from the White Mountain Apache Police Department, who is Ward’s supervisor.
OFFICER: "I've seen her on surveillance. She looks like a shoplifter. She's behaving like a shoplifter."
According to police reports, on Oct. 6, 2025, just before 4 p.m., Ward was in her police uniform and had a large plastic tote in her shopping cart.
The report says a door associate stopped her when she tried to leave twice. After both interactions, she goes to customer service, turns around and ultimately heads back to the exit, walking out of the store.
Walmart’s loss prevention officer stopped her because she paid for only the tote, not what was inside: cleaning supplies, leather journal, and a dog toy.
STORE EMPLOYEE: "Every single item she got, she opened the tote, put it in, and closed it every single time. And then when she got to the front end, the only thing she purchased was the tote."
‘It doesn’t look good’
When questioned, Ward told police she was at the store to buy candy for a departmental Halloween Trunk or Treat event.
STORE EMPLOYEE: "Then she claims she only came here to buy candy for the PD, for the trunk or treat. None of this is candy."
OFFICER: "When were you gonna get the candy then?"
WARD: "Um, I was gonna get them probably about the same time. I was going around to make ... candy usually melts, so I didn’t wanna put it in my car right away, so I was just gonna get it on my way out or come back in if that makes sense."
As the questioning continued, Ward’s account began to shift. She told officers she was flustered by a phone call regarding the death of a family member and claimed she had lost her keys.
WARD: "I'm looking for my keys, so what ended up happening was I went over, I'm supposed to get two totes, so I ended up grabbing one tote and I put some stuff in there, and then I got a phone call OK, so somebody was letting me know we had a family member pass away this morning."
OFFICER: "Here’s the deal. You did a crime today."
WARD: "I know. It doesn’t look good."
OFFICER: "No, it’s illegal. Not that it doesn’t look good. It’s shoplifting."
WARD: "That was not my intention."
Dig deeper:
Loss prevention officers informed police this was not an isolated event. They identified six other shoplifting-related incidents between Aug. 27 and Sept. 30, 2025. Surveillance footage shows Ward entering the store three times in a single two-hour window in September, allegedly stealing personal care products, dog food, and candy totaling nearly $600.
In August, footage allegedly captured Ward walking out with household products, gift wrap, and Lego sets, again using a tote to conceal the items. Investigators also believe Ward engaged in fraudulent returns, taking items like candy and glow sticks directly from the shelves to the service desk to return them for cash using old receipts.
Across the seven incidents, police say Ward stole approximately $1,200 in merchandise and cash.
Show Low police requested the initial misdemeanor case be dismissed, so the county attorney could review a dozen potential charges, including fraudulent schemes and organized retail theft.
During the investigation, an officer pressed Ward on the pattern of behavior:
OFFICER: "Why you’re at the Walmart prior and all that, bad decisions why you did that?"
WARD: "I wouldn't say bad decisions, but..."
OFFICER: "It’s not a good decision to shoplift."
WARD: "Right, I understand."
What's next:
Ward, who previously worked for the Show Low Police Department and the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office, did not respond to requests for comment.
Records from the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board (AZPOST) show an open case that could result in the loss of her peace officer certification.