TAYLOR, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Two people were caught, including a retired police officer in Lackawanna County, changing price tags on items from Walmart to pay them at a cheaper price, police say.
According to the Taylor Police Department, on January 15 around 2:15 p.m., police were called for a reported theft at the Walmart in Taylor.
Police say through video footage, Robert Zukoski, 60, of Scranton, and Melinda Shoppel, 42, of Plymouth, were seen scanning five items at a self-checkout.
Walmart employees were alarmed when all items were coming up as a tumbler priced at 50 cents, investigators stated.
The items Shoppel was scanning were a $1 package of gravy, a $24.96 hair trimmer, a $26.35 ribeye steak, a $19.48 slow-cooker pot roast kit, and a $23.46 half-pound package of lean ground beef, according to court documents.
As stated in the affidavit, further video surveillance showed Shoppel removing four tumblers and handing them to Zukosi who put them in the cart. They are then seen removing the tumbler’s pricing code stickers and putting them on the items in their cart, police said.
When confronted by Walmart employees Zukoski informed them that he was a retired police officer and stated he would ask the judge to “drop this thing.”
Zukoski and Shoppel have been charged with receiving stolen property, retail theft, and criminal conspiracy.
