3 arrested after alleged theft of cheese, meat and vehicle in Bowling Green

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – A stolen vehicle stop in Bowling Green has resulted in three facing charges.

The Bowling Green Police Department says it located a stolen vehicle in the parking lot of the Kroger at 350 U.S. 31-W Bypass on Sunday.

An officer conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of State Street and East Riverview Street. The driver was identified as Ajahona Belk, 19, of Bowling Green. Rue Chuol, 23, of Bowling Green and Marcus Lawrence, 21, of Bowling Green were passengers in the vehicle.

Belk allegedly told the officer that she did not know the vehicle was stolen and that it belonged to Lawrence’s sister.

Lawrence allegedly told the officer he received permission from a family member to borrow the vehicle. Lawrence provided officers with correspondence between him and a family member. Lawrence allegedly told the family member he would drop the vehicle off at different locations, and no one arrived to retrieve it. Police say Lawrence then told them he drove the vehicle to Tennessee to visit a friend in a hospital before returning to Bowling Green.

Lawrence says Belk and Chuol went inside Kroger to purchase food for a “Friendsgiving.”

The officer says footage inside the store shows Belk and Chuol shopping with items in a cart. They entered an area where no surveillance cameras were active. Chuol had a black backpack. Belk and Chuol exited the store with no groceries visible.

Cheese and meat were discovered inside the backpack. The officer says Chuol admitted the contents were his.

Belk, Chuol and Lawrence were arrested and taken to the Warren County Regional Jail.

Belk is charged with theft by unlawful taking or disposition shoplifting and receiving stolen property between $1,000 and $10,000. She has since been released.

Chuol is charged with theft by unlawful taking or disposition shoplifting. He has since been released as well.

Lawrence is charged with receiving stolen property between $1,000 and $10,000. He is currently lodged at the jail.