BEDFORD – A Bedford woman was arrested on Thursday, March 10th when Bedford Police officers were called to Walmart after a woman stole merchandise, knocked over a Walmart employee, and fled to the Dollar Tree store.
Police entered the Dollar Tree but could not locate the female. The officer explained to an employee who he was looking for and that employee told police the woman was in the restroom. The officer detained the woman when she exited the restroom. Under the trash bag in the bathroom wastebasket, police found the tag off of a bra from Walmart.
Krystal Harden, 33, of Bedford, told the officer that she thought she paid for everything but once she got to the Dollar Tree she realized that she did not pay for the bra. So instead of taking the item back she took the tags off and put it on in the bathroom.
Harden then told the officer she had a lot going on in her life including a charge of dealing heroin in Monroe County.
The officer told Harden she was being trespassed from Walmart. The officer also told Harden they viewed the camera footage from Walmart and the black sweater she was currently wearing was also stolen. She took the sweater off while crying and placed it on the back of the officer’s patrol vehicle.Â
A Walmart asset protection associate witnessed Harden skip scanning merchandise by not scanning items prior to bagging them. The employee paused the transaction and asked the self-checkout host to conduct an intervention by asking Harden if she needed assistance properly ringing up her merchandise, to which she declined. Harden then continued to bag items that were not properly scanned. These items included a sweatshirt, a bra, two small bottles of shampoo, and a pair of shoes. Also, it can be seen on video that Harden had placed items inside the pockets of the jean shorts she had selected, but she did not attempt to scan those concealed items. When finished scanning items, Harden attempted to render payment. Harden, at first, did not have enough money to pay for the items she had actually scanned, so she left the items and a stack of cash on the register while she went outside to get additional money. After returning to the register, Harden paid for the merchandise she had scanned, grabbed her bags, and headed toward the grocery exit. An employee approached Harden when she passed all final points of sale. The employee asked Harden for her receipt. Harden immediately yanked her receipt back and proceeded to leave the store without stopping for the employee. At that time, an employee stepped in front of Harden in an attempt to stop her from leaving the store with unpaid merchandise. Harden then put both hands on the employee’s upper chest and pushed the employee. At that time, the employee swept her hands off of their body and pushed her away. Harden continued exiting the store while another employee was on the phone with the police.Â
Employees watched Haden walk to the back of the parking lot and then to the Dollar Tree.
Harden also removed items from the jean shorts pockets that she had concealed and disposed of those items in Dollar Tree. Those items were never recovered. The shirt Harden had put on was returned but will be destroyed due to bodily fluids being on it from the arrest. The shoes and two small bottles of shampoo were returned and can be restocked on the shelf.
The total amount paid in this case was $70.96, including tax. The total amount of theft was $46.74, pre-tax, but this amount does not include the concealed items that she discarded at Dollar Tree, as officers or store employees could not confirm their identity.
Harden was arrested on a charge of theft.
