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Josh Duggar — Viewers Compare Suspect On Security Footage To Reality Star

By Steph Bazzle
Published on: 09:30 PST, Feb 18, 2017

Josh Duggar has been in a fair amount of trouble over the past two years. Now some viewers think they’ve found another scandal: a photo posted by the Springdale, Arkansas, Police Department, showing a suspect who stole items from an employee’s bag. The scandal? Some think that the man in the photo looks like Josh Duggar.

Now, let’s be clear — it’s unlikely that many people in the towns nearest the Duggar family home are not aware of their proximity to the reality show stars, and if the photo was really Josh, it would probably have been identified very quickly, if not by someone in the Police Department or a member of Dollar General staff viewing the camera image, then by members of the public.

If Springdale Police believed that the man in the photo might be Josh Duggar, their first steps would clearly be to contact the Duggars and determine whether or not he was a likely suspect. It’s also a simple fact that sometimes, people just look like other people. (Last year, there was even a story reported by Huffington Post in which a Crimewatch presenter happened to look a lot like the mugshot featured on the show!)

That said, the Springdale, Ar. Police Department released this photo and information.

KNWA offered slightly more information about the suspect: whoever he is, he entered the employee area of the Dollar General store and took items from an employee’s purse.

On KNWA‘s Facebook share of the story, viewers speculate, saying that the man looks similar to Josh, and even tagging Josh and Anna Duggar’s public Facebook page.

Now Facebook pages devoted to following the Duggar family have picked up a screenshot from the Springfield, Arkansas Police Department’s Facebook page. Though the screenshot shows that the SPD originally shared the security photo on their Facebook page as well as Twitter, that post no longer exists.

The screenshots, however, live on, and speculation is rife in Duggar-following circles. The page 19 Scandals And Counting shared it on Friday.

Here too, viewers debate. Some aren’t sure the suspect’s nose is the same shape as Josh Duggar’s. Others question the hairline. Others still are quite certain.

There are a number of theories proposed by viewers, but all suffer certain logical flaws. Some viewers have suggested that Jim Bob Duggar may have used influence to have the photo removed from the Springdale PD Facebook page. However, a typical use of social media by law enforcement is to delete “wanted” or “help identify” posts after they have found or identified the suspect. Thus, it’s entirely possible they have identified the suspect, and whether or not it’s Josh, took down the post.

Then, too, there’s the simple fact that the photo wasn’t deleted from Twitter. If, regardless of the suspect’s identity, it had been removed due to political pressure, the copy on Twitter most likely would have been deleted as well.

Another theory posited by social media users is that Josh Duggar might have stolen from an employee’s purse to cover up an affair. However, in that case, the employee surely would have recognized his photo, and police would not be trying to identify the suspect.

Social media users are comparing the image to various photos of Josh Duggar, and reaching no consensus about whether it’s him, a doppelganger, or someone with only minimal similarities.

https://www.facebook.com/duggarfamilyofficial/photos/a.518180528315601.1073741828.510067475793573/931539240313059/?type=3&theater

The Pickles and Hairspray Facebook page, which has followed the family closely even before Josh’s police report was leaked, also shared the image, but firmly disagreed with suggestions that the suspect could be Josh.

“I’m sure the guy in the photo is NOT Josh. Josh has never been as big as this guy but he sure is Josh’s doppelganger. I would hate to think my doppelganger is a thief.”

https://www.facebook.com/Pickles4Truth/photos/a.269728809792602.55371.269181913180625/1147628662002608/?type=3&theater

Josh is a particular subject of contention right now for those who believe the family should not have been allowed to return to reality TV, because more of Jinger Duggar’s wedding footage will be released, and viewers already believe Josh was seen on-camera at her wedding.

For some who believe they spotted Josh at Jinger’s wedding, it seemed a betrayal of what they felt TLC had promised: that Josh would not ever appear on Counting On. However, it’s not clear that this is what TLC ever actually promised.

Instead, People reports that TLC denied rumors that Josh would be “featured” and would speak about the scandals of the past two years. Hollywood Gossip agrees.

“It’s unclear if TLC actually vowed to never include Josh in the show again, or made more vague promises.”

Still, with Jinger Duggar’s full wedding expected to air soon, viewers are wondering if Josh is about to appear more fully — like, with his whole face.

That being the case, a security photo of someone who bears any resemblance at all to Josh Duggar was bound to cause a stir.

Like the image at Jinger’s wedding, it’s impossible to say for certain who is in this photo. Opinions even vary on how much the suspect and Josh Duggar do, or don’t, have in common. However, there’s one thing the photo — or rather, the response to it — makes very clear: a lot of viewers still don’t trust Josh Duggar.

[Featured Image by Springdale PD/Twitter]

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