Woman Caught on Camera Stealing Wallet Left Behind at Store Checkout

PUNXSUTAWNEY BOROUGH, Pa. (EYT) – An area woman is facing charges for the reported theft of a wallet that another customer left behind at a store checkout counter.

According to court documents, on May 4, the Punxsutawney Borough Police Department filed criminal charges against 44-year-old Ardnas D. Burge, of Rossiter.

The charges stem from an incident that occurred at Shop N Save on Thursday, April 16.

A known victim reported to the Punxsutawney Borough Police that her wallet was missing after she had left it by a cash register at Shop N Save on April 16. The victim stated she went back, and the employees and some customers helped her look for it, but they were unable to locate it, according to a criminal complaint.

The complaint notes the victim reported the wallet contained her bank cards, other cards, and $1,100.00 in cash.

Officer Winfield then spoke to the loss prevention person and was able to review footage from surveillance cameras.

According to the complaint, the video showed the victim laying her wallet on the counter and leaving the store. It then showed a woman picking up the victim’s wallet and laying it at the end of the register counter. The woman then put her purse next to the wallet, pulled out her own wallet, and placed the victim’s wallet in her purse.

The woman was still finishing her transaction when the victim came back to the store and spoke to the cashier at the register. The video shows the woman moving her purse, with the victim’s wallet inside it, into her grocery cart, while her husband helps the victim look for the wallet, according to the complaint.

The woman and her husband then exited the store, got into a gray Ford Escape in the parking lot, and left the scene.

According to the complaint, the woman in the video was identified as Ardnas Burge.

Police then contacted Burge by phone to discuss the incident. She told police she was going to return the wallet, but the store was closing and she “didn’t have time to turn it in,” the complaint indicates.

She was then asked to bring the wallet to the police station and responded that she was at Walmart and would come to the station when she was finished.

Due to the amount of cash involved, troopers then proceeded to the Walmart store, where they approached Burge in the parking lot. Burge then turned over the wallet, the complaint notes.

According to the complaint, when asked if anything was missing, she stated she “didn’t even open it.” The wallet was later returned to the victim and was found to still contain all of the victim’s bank and other cards, as well as all of the cash.

The following charges were filed against Burge through Magisterial District Judge Jacqueline J. Mizerock’s office:

– Receiving Stolen Property, Misdemeanor 1
– Theft Property Lost Etc By Mistake, Misdemeanor 1

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on May 19, with Judge Mizerock presiding.


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