A 25-year-old Terre Haute woman is facing multiple felony and misdemeanor charges after police say she stole more than $1,100 worth of merchandise from Walmart before fleeing the scene and later admitting to possessing methamphetamine and psilocybin mushrooms.

Kora Vanness was charged with Level 6 felony theft, Level 6 felony possession of methamphetamine, Class A misdemeanor possession of a schedule I, II, III, or IV controlled substance, Class A misdemeanor resisting law enforcement and Class C misdemeanor possession of paraphernalia, according to court records.

According to a probable cause affidavit filed by the Linton Police Department, Walmart Asset Protection (APA) contacted police shortly after 11 p.m. July 18 to report that a woman had left the store with unpaid merchandise and fled in a silver Chevrolet Tahoe. Employees provided officers with the vehicle's license plate number and its direction of travel.

Linton Police Department Officer Jerrad Pirtle located the SUV a short time later and attempted a traffic stop. The vehicle pulled into a residence on County Road 90 South, where officers believed a front-seat passenger had fled on foot. The remaining occupants initially denied anyone had been in the front passenger seat, according to the affidavit.

While speaking with the occupants, officers observed Walmart merchandise with store tags still attached inside the vehicle. After receiving a description and surveillance image from Walmart, officers searched the property and found Vanness hiding behind a decorative wooden sign near the vehicle.

Police said they found a glass pipe with suspected methamphetamine residue next to Vanness, along with her purse containing what she identified as psilocybin mushrooms. During questioning after being advised of her rights, investigators said Vanness admitted she stole the merchandise because she needed money and intended to resell the items. She also allegedly admitted using methamphetamine the previous night and identified the recovered pipe as the one she used to smoke the drug.

According to the probable cause affidavit, the pipe later field-tested positive for methamphetamine.

Initially, Vanness told investigators the other occupants of the vehicle were unaware of the theft. However, after reviewing Walmart surveillance video the following day, investigators alleged the footage showed Vanness and two other individuals selecting merchandise together, removing security devices from electronics, and coordinating their exit from the store. Police allege the other individuals left the store before Vanness, who pushed a shopping cart past the last point of sale without paying before loading two reusable bags of merchandise into the waiting SUV.

According to Walmart Asset Protection, officers recovered $1,152.64 worth of merchandise, including electronics, clothing, tools, a vacuum, camera equipment and collectible sports cards.