Man Arrested After Attempted Baby Abduction At Flagstaff Store, Caught On Surveillance Camera

VIDEO SOURCE: Channel 12

Flagstaff Police have arrested and charged a man who tried to snatch an infant from the mother’s grocery cart at a Bashas’ store in Flagstaff Thursday morning. The incident happened around 9:30 a.m. at the store near the junction of Interstate 40 and Interstate 17.

The mom was using a self-checkout stand while the baby was in the cart. The police report detailed that the man at a nearby self-checkout station finished his transaction and then took the mom’s cart, with the baby in it and attempted to leave the store. The incident was caught on the store’s surveillance camera. The video shows the man taking the handle of the cart and starting to push it away.


The Flagstaff Police Department released the surveillance video and photos asking the public for help in identifying the man, which led police to locating and arresting the suspect Jeffery Roholt, 59. Roholt has been charged with one count of kidnapping.

According to Flagstaff PD, after his arrest, in an interview with police, Roholt told detectives he believed the cart was his and attempted to leave the store.

Police say the investigation is ongoing.