A Florida man has been arrested and charged with theft connected with his work at a prominent supermarket chain. Official charges include fraud and grand theft. He is accused of making fraudulent returns and activating Visa gift cards, pocketing cash as a result. He is said to have made at least 18 such transactions, totaling more than $800 in value. The activity is reported to have been ongoing since late March.
Loss prevention personnel noted that they became suspicious of the suspect’s transactions, leading to their investigation. Management was involved in the investigation, claiming to have discovered specific transaction details. Additionally, video footage apparently enabled store personnel to identify the cashier conducting a variety of transactions in the absence of customers. Examples include coupon scanning and issuance of product refunds. Additionally, images show the cashier scanning Visa gift cards without customers present.
The serious nature of the charges of grand theft and fraud is compounded by the fact that the man is accused of these activities in a well-known supermarket. Loss prevention is handled meticulously in such environments, a fact validated by the team investigation and video recording of the cashier’s actions. While many people think of theft on the part of customers as being the biggest concern of such entities, there is stringent monitoring of all people, employees and customers utilizing the facility. As a result, there are many obstacles to consider in the cashier’s defense.
Legal representatives will need to review footage to understand the context of the incidents in question. Additionally, they will need to verify the actual details shown in the footage. They will need to examine any additional evidence in the case in order to properly counsel and represent the suspect. It’s helpful for a Florida resident facing such charges to consider finding a reputable criminal lawyer to assist in putting together a reasonable defense, especially when facing off against a major business that is accustomed to prosecuting cases involving theft.
Source: naplesnews.com, “Publix cashier arrested on theft charges”, May 21, 2013