Wagoner County Deputies Watch Over Broken Arrow Shoppers

The Wagoner County Sheriff's Office set up a piece of equipment in the parking lot of a Broken Arrow Walmart Monday. They hope it will make criminals think twice about going after people doing their holiday shopping.

The sheriff's office is going to be using the tower - that lifts them 30 feet into the air - to give them a bird's eye view of everything in the parking lot and even the store.

Sheriff Bob Colbert and his deputies are setting up their watch tower at the Walmart at Kenosha and the Creek Turnpike. It's a pretty isolated area, and even though the sheriff's office and Broken Arrow police patrol the area heavily, they thought the watch tower with deputies posted inside would make criminals think twice.

"All the meth heads are coming out looking to steal something so hopefully, we'll deter that from happening," said Sheriff Bob Colbert, Wagoner County.

Bobby and Shirley think about crime, so they try to do all their shopping earlier in the day. They were both glad to see the tower watching over them.

"It does because so many things are happening in parking lots now. We're glad to see it," Shirley said.

"I think it's a great idea. I wish they did it everywhere," Bobby agreed.

The sheriff's office bought the $125,000 watch tower for $8,000 through the federal surplus program. It was previously used by border patrol. Wagoner County has already used it for missing persons cases. While in this parking lot, if a deputy sees anything criminal, he can radio it to an undercover working inside or a deputy on patrol.

"Day and night, people will be in there, sometimes more than one, and we'll have a patrol unit in the area to answer those calls," Sheriff Colbert said.

Walmart told us they are thrilled to have the added protection as people scramble to shop in these final two weeks before Christmas.

The sheriff's office has a message for criminals wanting to be a Grinch this holiday season: they are watching you.