Theft victim has forgiveness in store

By CLIFTON ADCOCK World Staff Writer
10/27/2007

When Sharon Fletcher's pocketbook was stolen Thursday -- along with $575 in money orders meant as a deposit on a new rental house -- it appeared that her future had taken a turn for the worse.

"Needless to say, I was a sad lady," she said. "I had a miserable morning."

In December, Fletcher had a different kind of experience with theft. Her son, Courtney Fletcher, confessed to her that he had robbed several people. Wanting to do what was best for her son, she encouraged him to turn himself in before she called the police herself.

"I didn't want him killed or anyone else getting hurt," she said.

Courtney Fletcher was charged with nine counts of robbery. He is in the Tulsa Jail awaiting trial.

On Thursday morning, after getting off work, Sharon Fletcher went to the Reasor's supermarket at 15th Street and Lewis Avenue and bought two money orders totaling $575.

She then bought gas near 11th Street and Utica Avenue. As she was about to go inside to get her change, a woman in a wheelchair asked whether she could pump gas for her, as well, Fletcher said.

After helping the woman and getting her change, Fletcher returned to her vehicle to find that her pocketbook, containing the money orders, $87 in cash, her glasses and other items, had been stolen.

She called Reasor's and Tulsa police to report the theft, but Fletcher was almost sure that her chances of getting into a new home were gone.

Things changed about 2:30 p.m., however, when a man went into the same Reasor's and asked to cash two money orders totaling $575, store manager Jeff Burns said.

Burns said he stalled the man -- who he said gave several stories as to how he had obtained the money orders -- until they could be confirmed as stolen and the man could be taken into custody.

Burns added that he was amazed at the odds that the man would come into the same store to cash them.

Eric Wells, 26, was arrested on complaints of obtaining money by fraud and knowingly concealing stolen property after a felony conviction, police said.

Catching someone who has stolen a money order doesn't happen often, Burns said.

"Everything just clicked into place perfectly, with her being wise enough to call back" and report the money orders stolen, he said.

With the money orders returned, Fletcher is back on track to move into her new home, she said.

"What struck me was how the Reasor's employees went out of their way to make this happen," she said. "People should know that. They made a difference in my life."

Fletcher also thanked the Tulsa Police Department for officers' help in the case.

She said she knows now never to leave her car unlocked with valuables inside, a guideline that Police Officer Leland Ashley said everyone should follow.

"If you're going to be away from your car for any amount of time, lock the door," he said. "If you're going inside to make a purchase, don't leave it (your car) unlocked with your personal items right there in plain sight."

Fletcher said she spoke briefly with Wells and that although she knows he'll have to pay for the crime if he is found guilty, "my heart went out to him."

"Nobody is born a criminal," she said. "Life takes us to different places."

After seeing her son arrested and knowing what he is going through in trying to turn his life around, Fletcher said she hopes that Wells can do the same.

"He has time to redeem himself and go on with life, but he has to make a change," she said.

"I hope he will look back at this and go on to bigger and better things."

Clifton Adcock 581-8367
clifton.adcock@tulsaworld.com

Copyright Tulsa World 2007. Format differs from original publication.