The police in Washington Township, N.J. have tracked down and arrested the alleged perpetrator of last weekend’s unauthorized PA announcement of “Attention Walmart customers: All black people leave the store now.” It will surprise absolutely no one that the suspect is a 16-year-old boy.

Rafael Muñiz, the Washington Township police chief, said that while the cameras did not record anyone speaking on the public-address system, images did show three people — the suspect, a young man and a woman — standing near the phone just before the announcement and rushing from the store just after it.

Investigators also scoured Facebook, MySpace and YouTube, and found postings, including some that the police chief said involved “kids bragging” about what happened. With the help of anonymous tipsters, he added, investigators were led to the suspect, who was arrested Friday.

“We got lucky,” Chief Muñiz said Saturday at a news conference.

An obnoxious crime solved by a teenager’s compulsive need to brag. Who would have thought?

Arrest in Racial Case at N.J. Wal-Mart [New York Times] (Thanks, GitEmSteveDave!)

PREVIOUSLY:
Walmart Wants To Know Who Made The Racist Announcement Over Their PA System
NJ Walmart To End Racism By Reducing Access To PA System

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.