A man and a woman from Centre Hall were charged on Tuesday for allegedly stealing computers from Walmart, 373 Benner Pike.
According to the criminal complaints, State College Police on Feb. 27 met with the store’s loss prevention officers, who had conducted a retail theft investigation related to two incidents in January. Police say in both cases, video surveillance showed the suspects leaving the store without paying for desktop computers.
On the afternoon of Jan. 15, a man allegedly filled a shopping cart with items, passed by open registers and left the store without paying. Police said one of the distinguishable items in the cart was an HP Pavilion computer valued at $469. The loss prevention officers said they verified that the model of computer identified was not sold on that day. Video footage allegedly showed the man taking the computer off the display rack and leaving without paying.
The Walmart staff reportedly said they were familiar with the man and identified him as Thomas L. Stewart, 35.
According to court records, Stewart also is currently awaiting trial on burglary and theft charges for allegedly stealing firearms from a Spring Mills residence in 2016.
On Jan. 18, a similar incident occurred when a woman allegedly filled a cart with items and left the store without paying. Police said the only distinguishable item in the cart was another HP Pavilion computer model valued at $649. Staff again reportedly verified no computers of that kind were sold on that day and police said the camera footage showed the woman taking the computer from the display and leaving the store with it.
Loss prevention officers also were familiar with the woman and identified her as Siobhan C. Amerman, 37, according to the complaint.
Stewart and Amerman are listed as having the same Centre Hall address.
Both were charged with retail theft and receiving stolen property. They were arraigned via summons on Tuesday by District Judge Ronald Horner.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 29.
