Man Stole $14K in Electronics With Help from Walmart Cashiers: Police

By Jack Tobias

In a case that broke more than three months ago, police have taken into custody a man they say conspired with five cashiers at the Bethlehem Township Walmart to steal almost $14,000 in electronic items.

Charges against David Burgos, 32, were filed in early April, but police brought him to his arraignment Monday night before on-duty District Judge Robert Hawke of Lehigh Township.

Court records say Burgos talked to the cashiers before coming into the Linden Street store to steal items, including televisions, iPads, iPods, laptops, headphones, cameras, video gaming systems, video games, DVDs, notebooks and cell phones. The cashiers knew ahead of time which items Burgos wanted to steal.

The cashiers would do price checks on the items, making it appear they were ringing up the items for sale. Then they would punch in a zero instead of the item’s price.

Burgos would leave the store with the items but without paying for them, the records say.

The records describe the alleged scheme as “under-ringing.”

The five cashiers weren’t the only people with whom Burgos allegedly conspired, the records say. He also conspired with “unknown males and females” to steal items.

And his alleged actions weren't the only incidents of theft suffered by the Walmart store. From November 2012 through February 2013—the same period during which Burgos allegedly stole items—the store’s total loss was $57,288.40, the records say.

Burgos’ court file lists two addresses—1108 Amplex St. on Bethlehem’s South Side and Horizon City, Texas, which is near El Paso. He has been living in Horizon City since January of this year, the file says.

The five store cashiers named in Burgos’ criminal complaint have been charged. Four of them have been arraigned and their cases have started going through the county court system.

The four are: Kory Cherry, 19, of Easton, and Gabriel Pozo, 19, Jared Lugo, 19, and Kristopher Herrera, 19, all of Bethlehem.

The fifth cashier, Jatmaarie Merced, 31, of Bethlehem, has not been arraigned, according to online court records.

The complaint, filed by township Patrolman Anthony Stevens, also says:

• Township police were tipped off to the theft scheme on Feb. 2 by a loss-prevention employee at the Bethlehem Township Walmart. The official said surveillance video showed several people had been stealing from the store for several months. One of those people was Burgos, the employee said.

• Also on Feb. 2, Stevens talked to store employee Cherry, who admitted stealing items and witnessing others stealing items. One of the “others” was Burgos, he said. He also described the “under-ringing” process.

• On March 6, Stevens and the loss-prevention employee reviewed files and video and concluded six people—including Burgos—were involved in the scheme.

• Another township officer, Andrew Keyock, met with Lugo on an unspecified date. Lugo, who said he started working at the store in April 2012, reported that Burgos was among “customers” who stole merchandise after cashiers went through the under-ringing process.