Homewood Home Depot employees nabbed in theft scheme www.privateofficer.com

 

Homewood IL Aug 16 2011 Three Home Depot employees have been charged with retail theft by “under-ringing” purchases to steal from their employer.

Police identified those charged as Latoya Wright, 30, of the 12500 block of S. Lowe in Chicago; Dwayne Jefferson, 39, of the 13800 block of Michigan Avenue in Riverdale; and Amanda Berry, 37, of the 2200 block of W. 156th Place in Markham.

The thefts occurred from Aug. 2 to Aug. 6 at the home improvement retailer at 17845 Halsted St., police said. The Home Depot store’s loss prevention officer and a store manager contacted the Homewood Police Department after viewing store video of employee under-ringing, according to the report. The store’s cash register copies and DVD recordings were inventoried into evidence, police said.

Wright told the store security officer that she would ring up items, then remove several items from the purchase amount, charging only for a few items, police said. The fraudulent action allowed $2,563.23 in merchandise to leave the store without payment in three separate transactions, police said.

Wright told the store’s security officer that she did the under-ringing at the request of Jefferson, a co-worker who told her he was homeless and needed a place to live, according to the report.

Wright was charged with felony retail theft.

Berry’s under-ringings totaled $802.52, police said. Berry and Jefferson were charged with retail theft.