High Ridge Man Accused of Bedroom Store Delivery Theft

A former employee is accused of stealing a mattress from a Bridgeton store, police said.

Paul J. Harrison, 34, of the 2100 block of Freckles Drive in High Ridge, was charged Aug. 1 with felony stealing.

Maryland Heights Police said Harrison was a delivery driver for The Bedroom Store at 2440 Adie Road in Maryland Heights when a manager discovered a queen-size mattress missing from inventory.

An investigation showed the mattress had been loaded onto a truck driven by Harrison for delivery to Fults, IL on Sept. 16. However the customer who bought the mattress took it when she purchased it, police said.

When the truck returned the mattress was gone, although Harrison said the customer refused delivery. An assistant who accompanied Harrison said that Harrison told him they would make a delivery not on their list, and they delivered the mattress to a North St. Louis location.

When Harrison was arrested months later, police said he denied the mattress was on his truck and denied taking the mattress. According to a police report, the mattress was listed on a delivery manifest and two witnesses said it was on the truck.

Harrison is being held in the St. Louis County Justice Center. Bail was set at $7,500.