Traffic stop after Grand Junction Target shoplifting call yields felony arrest

Grand Junction police arrested 42-year-old Matthew Narey after officers stopped a black truck in a parking lot near the Target store at 2424 Highway 6 & 50 following a shoplifting-in-progress call. Police said the stop and subsequent search produced multiple stolen merchandise items and other evidence that led to felony bookings.

Store asset-protection personnel observed a male suspect take merchandise inside the Target and attempted to contact him before the suspect fled the area in a black truck, the Grand Junction Police Department reported. Officers responded "on February 21, 2026, at approximately 9:40 p.m." to the shoplifting call, located the vehicle in a nearby parking lot and conducted a traffic stop, according to the city news flash republished by local outlets.

During a subsequent search, officers located a firearm, which Narey is prohibited from possessing, as well as burglary tools, suspected stolen credit cards, suspected methamphetamine, and assorted drug paraphernalia, the City of Grand Junction statement said. Multiple news outlets also described the recovered items as "stolen merchandise" found with the suspect in the parking lot.

Narey was arrested at the scene and transported to the Mesa County Detention Facility, where he was booked on a slate of charges. Booking records and a GJPD statement republished by KREX/Nexstar list the charges as: Possession of a Weapon by a Previous Offender; Criminal Possession of Four or More Financial Devices; Four Counts of Identity Theft - Possession with Intent to Use; Unlawful Possession <4g Controlled Substance Schedule I/II; Violation of a Protection Order; Possession of Burglary Tools; Possession of Drug Paraphernalia; and Theft - Less than $300 - Shoplifting.

Local television outlets KJCT and KKCO framed the discoveries as alleged and noted the investigation is ongoing; KREX republished a GJPD statement thanking store staff for their role in the response. "The Grand Junction Police Department appreciates the timely reporting by store staff, which contributed to a swift arrest. We remind residents and businesses to contact law enforcement if they observe suspicious activity," the department said. The department also said, "GJPD believes the incident was isolated with no current danger to the community."

Authorities have not released a mugshot, bond amount, or court date in the reports republished by local media, and no statement from Matthew Narey or an attorney was included in the coverage. Media accounts and the city post indicate the investigation into the Feb. 21 traffic stop and the recovered evidence remains ongoing.