After receiving a tip about a group of suspicious individuals at the Pella Walmart Wednesday afternoon, the Pella Police Department worked with the Oskaloosa Police Department to make arrests today in connection with the incident.

Jesus Moya Estrada, 22, of Katy, Texas, and Carlos Rodriguez Claro, 33 and Juan Ricardo Rivero Garcia, 39, both from Fort Dodge, were charged with misdemeanor theft after they were found at a hotel in Oskaloosa Thursday morning. The Pella Police Department was searching for the group of men after a woman reported suspicious behavior to Walmart and police at around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, in which she was concerned about her safety and the intentions of the three men while she was shopping with her baby. The department also reviewed the store’s surveillance footage to assist in the investigation.

Pella Police Chief Robert Bokinsky believes it was not their intent to kidnap or harm the person who reached out to authorities, but he says that tip helped officers locate and arrest the men, who are accused of committing a scheme to steal merchandise from the store.

“We are very grateful for her willingness to come forward in this situation; this placed her under a considerable amount of stress–she didn’t know if she was being stalked, she didn’t know if this was a potential carjacking or human trafficking–it could have been anything,” Bokinsky says. “We felt this was something that needed to be looked into–she saw something, she said something, and at the end of the day, we were able to determine that a theft had occurred and these individuals perpetrated that crime.”

He says anybody who feels they are in danger or notices suspicious behavior should immediately contact police to ensure the safety of themselves and the general public.