A criminal case was filed this week against a Linton woman who was allegedly caught stealing items from a local store then trying to return them for a gift card.

Cheryl Darlene Welty, 43, of Linton, was arrested late Monday, March 16, by Sgt. Logan Hobbs of the Linton Police Department.

Sgt. Hobbs was dispatched around 10:42 p.m. that Monday to the Walmart store in Linton where one of the store’s Asset Protection Associates had detained two women for an alleged theft followed by a fraudulent return.

The store associate alleged Welty had stolen two bedsheet sets worth approximately $70 each and then had the other woman return the items, without a receipt, in order to obtain a store gift card. The associate said he had witnessed Welty take the sheet sets and leave the store without paying. Then he stopped them when they were attempting to make the return.

Sgt. Hobbs reported that Welty confessed to the associate that she had been using people to assist her in returning items she had stolen on several occasions. Sgt. Hobbs said when Welty was informed that he (Sgt. Hobbs) would be arresting her, Welty told the store associate that she thought if she was fully honest with him about stealing, there would be no criminal charges.

The other woman who was stopped was not arrested.

Welty was transported and booked into the Greene County Jail around 11:40 p.m. Her bond was set at $1,000 surety with ten percent cash allowed. She posted $100 and was released.

Welty is facing a preliminary charge of theft, a Class A misdemeanor, and is scheduled to appear in court for an initial hearing on June 1.