An East Memphis GameStop was thrust into the machinery of crime and consequence, suffering a break-in that not only resulted in thousands of dollars of lost merchandise but seemingly provided a pivotal clue in resolving an auto theft case. Police arrested 18-year-old Zachary Ballard on charges linked to the store burglary and the earlier theft of an Infiniti SUV, detailed in investigative documents.
It all started on November 16, when the victim reported their Infiniti QX80, valued at around $43,000, stolen from a Park Avenue apartment complex. Then, in an event that reads like a striking echo, an alarm rang out last Tuesday from the GameStop located just a stone's throw away on the same boulevard. Responding officers encountered a crime scene where the sliding metal gate and the front glass door were broken, with merchandise, including gaming consoles and clothing, all totaling $11,000 stolen, as FOX13 Memphis reported.
However, some of the stolen items possessed tracking technology, which allowed law enforcement to follow digital breadcrumbs to a residence on South Dempster Avenue. Here, as narrated in the police report, the stolen Infiniti and several gaming consoles were found discarded in an alley.
Upon inspection of the recovered vehicle, the most recent fingerprints on the front passenger door-window frame belonged to Ballard, according to evidence cited by authorities. It should be noted that Ballard has claimed he did not steal the SUV, acknowledging only that he had been inside it, affirmed by court documents detailed by WREG. The original owner of the SUV has denied any knowledge or connection with Ballard.
