A 37-year-old St. Joseph man with ten prior stealing-related convictions, and at least 11 arrests for failure to appear, will remain behind bars under his current bail awaiting future court hearings on the latest stealing charge. 

Walter Lomax was arrested Tuesday after store employees at the North Belt Walmart spotted him allegedly stealing $150 worth of merchandise from the store.  Police say in court documents that Lomax had previously been banned from the store for stealing.  

The probable cause statement also says Lomax has at least 11 prior arrests for failure to appear in court, including one active warrant.  He also faces a probation violation hearing and a possible seven-year sentence in a 2016 stealing case.

In the most recent case, Lomax faces a charge of stealing, a class-e felony because of three prior stealing convictions in the last ten years.

During his first court appearance Friday, Associate Judge Rebecca Spencer denied a request to modify his $10,000 bail.  Judge Spencer scheduled a preliminary hearing for April 25.  Lomax remains in custody at the Buchanan County Jail.