Thief Had Elaborate Scheme to Steal and Return Stuffed Animals for Cash?

Sometimes criminals come up with elaborate schemes that are clever . . . and then there’s THIS lady.

A 39-year-old woman in Pennsylvania was caught in a bizarre scheme where she’d steal from convenience stores, by using a self-checkout and NOT ringing up all the items.

For example, she’d scan and pay for a beverage, but steal a couple of sandwiches, which she’d just slip in a bag.  Or she’d pay for two containers of milk, but steal two stuffed animal toys.  Or grab eight bags of “artisan coffee,” but only scan four of them, and leave.

Then, she’d later come back and try to return ALL the items, and get cash in exchange.  It’s unclear how that part would work, if she didn’t have everything listed on the receipt.  (Reports imply she’d return it all for cash, but maybe she was only returning the items she paid for?)

The combined loss from her known thefts was about $210.  And she’s been charged with three felony counts each of retail theft and “theft by deception.”

(Reading Eagle / Archive)