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SPRINGVILLE — An alert woman shopping at Wal-Mart late Tuesday helped police arrest two fugitives from Washington who had been on the run for more than a week.
Glen Feinman, 33, and Deanna Tampico, 33, were arrested about 11:30 p.m. as they walked out of Wal-Mart where Springville police officers were waiting. The officers had actually pulled up their pictures on their cellphones to verify it was them, said Springville Police Lt. Dave Caron.
"They lied about who they were. And the corporal that was on duty had found their picture on Facebook, looked at it, walked over to the other officer, showed him, turned around and showed them their picture on the Internet and said, 'Nice try, you're under arrest,'" he said.
At that point, Feinman reportedly had thoughts of running.
"He tried to bolt. He tried to push the officer away and run," Caron said. "They tried lying about who they were and the one tried to escape on foot. He didn't make it. He got a step or so and the officer snagged him and put him across the hood of the car and cuffed him up."
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Feinman and Tampico are believed to have fled from the Seattle area sometime between April 25 and April 27. Feinman was convicted of child rape and Tampico is also a convicted sex offender. Both had committed crimes against teen girls, according to authorities.
The couple cut off their ankle monitors while on parole and fled, according to Nephi Police Capt. Burt Wright. A Mini Cooper registered to Feinman was found abandoned in Nephi on Thursday. Personal items belonging to the couple were found inside the car, such as clothing and camping equipment, according to police.
After running a check of the vehicle, the Juab County Sheriff's Office issued a press release regarding their discovery and to warn residents to be on the lookout for the couple.
A 24-year-old Provo woman, whose name was not immediately released, saw the post on Facebook, Caron said. Tuesday night, while shopping at Wal-Mart, she spotted the fugitives.
I think that most people who are fugitives, they kind of expect to get caught sooner or later. But whether they expected to get caught while leaving Wal-Mart here, probably not. They are not good people. I'm glad they are in custody where they belong
–Springville Police Lt. Dave Caron
Caron said the woman called the Juab County Sheriff's Office, which in turn called Springville police to respond.
"I think that most people who are fugitives, they kind of expect to get caught sooner or later. But whether they expected to get caught while leaving Wal-Mart here, probably not.
"They are not good people. I'm glad they are in custody where they belong," Caron said.
Investigators were attempting to retrace the couple's steps on Wednesday to determine why they ended up in Utah, whether they were staying with anyone and how they got a new vehicle. They planned on checking store surveillance video from the Wal-Mart.
Caron said Feinman has refused to talk to police since his arrest. Tampico kept giving investigators fake names, he said. Both were in the Utah County Jail Wednesday awaiting extradition back to Washington.