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Shopper admits not scanning or paying for items

A shopper at a local store is accused of intentionally not scanning or paying for numerous items that were dropped into store bags.

amber dawn lanning

Amber Dawn Lanning, 33, Sullivan, was arrested last Thursday night, March 16, by Officer Alan Jackson of the Linton Police Department.

After asset protection personnel from the Walmart store in Linton contacted LPD and said two shoppers wearing camouflage clothing were not scanning all of their items at the self-checkout on the grocery side of the store, Officer Jackson was dispatched around 7:45 PM.

When he arrived, the asset protection personnel had stopped the two as they were trying to leave the store. The officer, the two shoppers and store personnel then went to the asset protection office to check the receipt against the items in their cart.

Officer Jackson's report shows the store personnel found a number of items in shopping bags in the cart that were not paid for including Icy Hot, Queen V lubricant, three packages of Jiffy planting pots, a bottle of Pepsi, a package of gel pens, 2 bottles of Aussie Hairspray, body spray, BIC razors, a Three Musketeers candy bar, a bottle of Equate hand sanitizer, an auto drive flashlight, 11 plant seed packages and three clothing items that all totaled $145.82.

When one of the shoppers was interviewed, he said he was just placing the items in the bags that he thought the other shopper, identified as Amber Lanning, had already scanned. He denied knowing that any of the items he placed in the Walmart bags were not scanned or paid for.

When Lanning was interviewed, she allegedly admitted she intentionally put unscanned items in the bags and she detailed some of the items that she did not scan.

The items that were not paid for were left at Walmart and Lanning was informed she would be going to jail for theft and then she walked with Officer Jackson out of the store to his patrol vehicle.

Then while Officer Jackson was conducting the required search before being placed in the patrol vehicle, an asset protection employee came out and showed him items which were left on the seat where Lanning had been sitting in the office. When Lanning was asked if she left these items on the seat, she allegedly admitted she had those in her sweatshirt pocket. The items included a lanyard, earrings, a package of gel pens and a package of highlighters totaling $36.75 bringing the total items stolen up to $182.57.

Lanning was transported and booked into the Greene County Jail around 9:00 PM with bond set at $1000 surety with 10% cash allowed. She posted $100 and was released later that same night.

Lanning is scheduled to appear in Greene Superior Court for her initial hearing on Tuesday, March 21, when she will be formally charged with theft, a Class A misdemeanor.