Bellefontaine Police are investigating three separate theft cases at Walmart involving a combined $421.43 worth of merchandise.
In the first case, police were called to Walmart for a reported shoplifting involving 49-year-old James Bass of Atlanta, Georgia.
According to police, Walmart loss-prevention staff reported that Bass was caught walking past the final checkout area with $22.94 in unpaid merchandise.
Police also learned Bass was allegedly seen doing the same thing during an earlier visit, taking another $17.23 of unpaid items.
In total, Walmart reported $40.17 in merchandise was taken without being paid for.
Bass told police he thought the items had been scanned before he left the checkout area.
Walmart told police it wanted to pursue theft charges against Bass and that additional merchandise may have been taken, although a final total had not been determined.
Bass was issued a criminal summons for misdemeanor theft and is scheduled to appear in Bellefontaine Municipal Court.
In a second case, police investigated a theft involving 42-year-old Tiffany Martin of Marysville.
According to police, Walmart loss prevention reviewed surveillance video and saw Martin allegedly skip-scan three items at a self-checkout.
Police say Martin scanned three items before handing her identification to a Walmart employee.
After getting her ID back, Martin allegedly collected the items and left the store without paying.
The items included flowers valued at $10.73, a three-liter bottle of Black Box buttery Chardonnay valued at $19.99, and a five-liter bottle of Peter Vella red wine valued at $18.98.
The total value was $49.70.
Police used the license plate from Martin’s vehicle to identify her and reviewed the surveillance video.
Martin later told police the incident was an accident and that she did not intend to steal the items.
Martin later went to the Bellefontaine Police Department, where she was issued a criminal summons and advised of her court date.
In a third case, police investigated a theft involving 45-year-old Kyna Brown of Bellefontaine.
Police say Walmart loss prevention was notified that Brown had allegedly taken multiple items from the store.
Officers were provided with a picture of Brown and recognized her from previous incidents.
According to police, Brown and another unidentified woman left the store twice with merchandise without paying.
Police say Brown was the only person who actually left the store with the stolen merchandise.
The reported stolen items included baby and toddler clothing, appliances, kitchen items, home decor, and other household merchandise.
The total value was $331.56.
Police recently received surveillance footage from Walmart.
Police say Brown initially claimed she had returned items and that the situation was a misunderstanding.
After being told the incident was captured on camera, police say Brown admitted to leaving the store with some merchandise.
Brown told officers she took bed sheets she believed were worth about $80 and two blinds, but said that was all.
Police told Brown Walmart believed approximately $331 worth of merchandise had been taken.
Brown was issued a criminal summons and advised of her mandatory court appearance.
