A Linton woman is accused of ringing up her items in a self-checkout lane at a local store but canceling the transaction and not making payment before walking out the door with over $60 worth of merchandise.

Ciera Lynn Brown, 34, Linton, was arrested by Deputy Michael Coy of the Greene County Sheriff’s Department yesterday, Tuesday, July 13, as a result of an investigation by Officer Debbie McDonald of the Linton Police Department.

Officer McDonald started her investigation on June 17 when an Asset Protection Associate at Walmart in Linton reported Ciera Brown had left the store with a 100-foot garden hose, a pool, a king-size Reese’s candy and two Rock Star energy drinks without paying for the items. The associate provided a video of a transaction which allegedly showed Brown ringing up the items at a self-checkout but then canceling the transaction and leaving the store with the items.

When Officer McDonald interviewed Brown at the police department the next day, Brown said there was a problem with the payment on her card going through so she suspended the transaction and went to the cashier at the self-checkouts for assistance. She said the cashier then rang the items up, she paid for them and left the store.

After the interview, Officer McDonald went to Walmart to get another video that would show the transaction from a different angle. Officer McDonald reported the video showed Brown did not go to the cashier for assistance and that she had suspended the transaction then left with the items.

When Brown was interviewed a second time, she allegedly said she could not suspend the transaction herself on the register, that she always has problems with the self-checkouts and she did not know the items were not paid for.

The total value of the items was $60.71.

Brown has a prior conviction for theft in 2011.

After information about the incident was submitted to the prosecutor’s office, a criminal case was filed against Brown on Tuesday, July 12, and a warrant issued for her arrest.

After she was taken into custody and booked into the Greene County Jail yesterday afternoon, her bond was set at $4,000 surety with ten percent cash allowed. She posted $400 and was released later the same day.

Brown is scheduled to appear in Greene Superior Court on July 26 for her initial hearing. She is facing a charge of theft – with a prior conviction for theft, a Level 6 felony.