FARMINGTON — Police charged a Waterville man Monday with stealing $1,500 in merchandise from Walmart on Saturday, crediting the public for helping identify him.

Lee Wurzel, 29, was charged with felony theft, Sgt. Edward Hastings IV said. A large amount of the merchandise was recovered, he said.

On Monday, police released a photo of a suspect leaving the Wilton Road store with two carts filled with merchandise he did not pay for. They asked the public for help identify him. It paid off.

Police located Wurzel, who cooperated with the investigation, he said.

Hastings said Wurzel went into the store with his girlfriend Saturday night and they spent more than an hour filling three carts with items. They went to the checkout register where there was a discussion about payment for the items.

Wurzel indicated someone else was coming to pay and left the store with two of the three carts of merchandise, Hastings said. No one came to pay for the items and the third cart was left at the register, he said.

Wurzel has a court date of Oct. 9.

abryant@sunjournal.com