An Eatonton woman was arrested last week for stealing approximately $2,000 worth of electronics while she was working at Walmart.
Eatonton Police Chief Howell Cardwell said Lakika Culp had worked at Walmart in Eatonton for almost 20 years. He said Culp is accused of shoplifting on four different occasions between May and July of this year.
The retailer’s loss prevention team called the Eatonton Police Department to report the thefts, all of which were captured on the store’s security video cameras.
“Investigator Hargrove Jones and Officer Carl Hudson responded to the store, and they did a good job handling this case,” Cardwell noted. The security video footage revealed that Culp scanned items for herself at a self-checkout cash register in each incident.
“She was skip-scanning,” Cardwell said. “She would go through a self-checkout area and scan some lower-priced items in her buggy and then skip scanning the more expensive items. She would then walk out of the store with them.”
Cardwell said in the latest incident, Culp scanned a toddler toy priced at $7.97, but she walked out of the store with not only the toy but also a laptop worth $699.
“She also took two pillows out with her, but only paid for one,” he added.
In another incident, Culp reportedly scanned and paid for a $7.48 toy watch but also walked out with a Galaxy watch valued at $182 that she had not scanned or paid for. In a third incident, Culp purchased a rug for $4.97.
“And then she did a price override and stole out an expensive JBL speaker valued at $495,” Cardwell said.
The fourth incident involved her scanning and paying for another child’s toy but walking out with another laptop computer valued at $700.
“Those security cameras will end up getting you sooner or later in theft cases like this,” Cardwell said.
Lakika Resonjia Culp, 40, of Newsome Drive, Eatonton, was arrested July 3 and jailed on one count of felony theft by shoplifting. She was released on a $5,000 property bond.