Crime & Safety
Police: Wal-Mart Worker Stole from Cash Registers
Allentown woman told police she knew she would need the money during a medical leave of absence, according to court records.
In the second such case to come to light in a week, a store worker has admitted to stealing from her employer.
The latest case involves an Allentown woman who admitted stealing on two occasions during overnight hours this past summer from the Wal-Mart in Bethlehem Township before taking a medical leave of absence.
Laura Hazel Stewart, 49, told police she stole a total of $424 “because of health issues and [she] knew she would need it for her medical leave of absence,” court records say.
A criminal complaint filed by township Patrolman William Stanton also says:
While working at the Wal-Mart at 3926 Nazareth Pike, Stewart stole $128 from a register on Aug. 25 and $296 on Sept. 13, the records say.
Both incidents were captured on surveillance video. And both happened after 4am – 4:16 a.m. on Aug. 25 and 4:12 a.m. on Sept. 13.
She was taken into custody around 12:10 a.m. Wednesday – her first day back from the leave of absence.
Stewart told the store loss-prevention manager she only stole $100 on Aug. 25 and provided a written statement for the Sept. 13 incident.
But in an interview at police headquarters, she admitted to stealing the “approximate” amounts the store was claiming.
In the earlier case, Donna M. Arace, 27, of Wilson admitted stealing $300 from the Weis Markets store in Forks Township. Arace said she needed money to pay her rent.
Stewart, of 1430 Linden St., Apt. 1, was charged with theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property. She was arraigned later Wednesday by on-duty District Judge John Capobianco of Nazareth and released on $10,000 unsecured bail.
