Florida man and woman nabbed for Pa. Walmart gift card theft operation
Newberry Township PA April 10 2019
A Florida couple got to “work” quickly when they arrived in Pennsylvania earlier this month, allegedly taking more than $12,000 in gift cards and items from six Walmart stores before they were caught in northern York County.
James Louis West, 25, and Tiesha Reneice Wimbush, 28, both of Tampa, Fla., were arrested Friday at the Walmart at 50 Newberry Parkway in Newberry Township, according to charging documents.
The two face charges of organized retail theft and conspiracy to commit organized retail theft. West and Wimbush posted bail on Saturday and are due back for a preliminary hearing on May 22 before District Judge Scott J. Gross, according to online court dockets.
On Friday, Newberry Township Police responded to Walmart for an alleged retail theft after store staff spotted West and Wimbush, who matched the descriptions of suspects in a recent rash of thefts, documents state.
A Walmart asset protection associate directed police to the two, who were walking toward a black sedan in the parking lot. Police then arrested the pair.
A witness told police she saw West throw something under a white van as officers approached him. Police recovered the items, identified as two Vanilla Mastercard gift cards, according to documents.
The Walmart loss prevention associate explained to police that West and Wimbush were involved in six retail thefts from various Walmart stores around the state, beginning Thursday, documents state.
West and Wimbush allegedly hit stores in Norristown, East Greenville, Harleysville, and Whitehall on Thursday, and then a store in Palmyra on Friday, before heading to the Newberry Township store, according to documents.
The two used a technique common to the Walmart stores to pull off their alleged gift card thefts, documents state.
“During this style of theft, one actor intentionally distracts the cashier while the other makes it appear as if they are using a credit card to complete the purchase,” documents state. “While the cashier is distracted by the subject, the other reaches to the keyboard and pushes the ‘cash’ button activating the drawer to open and the sale to be completed.”
