Mowlid Abdi Salan

On March 24, 2026, at approximately 1814 hours, Woodbury Police Department Det. Adam Olson was dispatched to the Walmart store located on Hudson Road in Woodbury, Washington County for a report of shoplifting. The complainant, a loss prevention officer with Walmart, hereinafter referred to as "Witness," recognized the shoplifter from previous incidents. The subject was identified by Witness as MOWLID ABDI SALAN [DOB REDACTED]. Witness advised that Salan was concealing items inside of a cooler while walking through the store.

Salan had previously been trespassed from that Walmart store for one year, on December 3, 2025. Witness advised that Salan entered the self-checkout at the store and appeared to be "skip scanning." He saw that Salan had a cart full of items and the transaction rang up for under $10.00. Witness advised that Salan then proceeded toward the exit after going through the self-checkout with a car full of items. Witness was going to attempt an apprehension/stop at the store, but Det. Olson arrived and began walking toward Salan before this could occur.

Salan saw Det. Olson and ditched the car and began walking away from the exit doors. It was apparent to Det. Olson that Salan would have continued to exit out the doors had Det. Olson not appeared on the scene. Det. Olson and Witness then went to the loss prevention office and observed Salan on surveillance video while he walked around the store. Salan walked around for a couple of minutes before exiting the store without purchasing any items. After he exited the store, Witness and Det. Olson approached him and asked him to come to the loss prevention office.

Det. Olson read Salan a Miranda warning and Salan agreed to speak with him. Salan said that he "forgot" about the trespass notice but recalled the incident that prompted it to be issued. He said that he did not steal anything that day and he never exited the store with the merchandise. Salan said he planned to pay for everything, that he continues to deal with substance use, and that he is currently homeless. Witness was able to review the surveillance footage from the self-checkout more closely, as well as the receipt that was issued after Salan went through the self-checkout.

He confirmed that Salan intentionally failed to scan items and instead scanned a false barcode that rang up lower value items in place of the higher value items. Salan failed to pay for $296.70 worth of merchandise when going through the self-checkout. A search incident to arrest led Det. Olson to find several barcode items from various stores, commonly used as false barcodes at self-checkout.