(WHDH) — Two women are facing criminal charges after police say they used a mobile app to steal more than $100,000 in merchandise from Walmart stores in five states.
Mary Garcia, 47, and Melinda Rodriguez, 38, were arrested in Arizona last week on charges including organized retail theft, according to the Mesa Police Department.
Authorities began investigating the duo in March after loss prevention workers noticed a series of suspicious transactions involving an in-store scanning app, police noted.
“The suspects would enter the stores and scan the items using a smart phone in order to use the quick pay at the checkout,” police said in a news release. “The problem was once they reached the checkout, payment was bypassed, and they simply walked out with the unpaid merchandise. By using the app, the suspect gave the appearance that they were paying for the items.”
Garcia and Rodriguez are accused of stealing about $106,000 in items from Walmart stores in Arizona, California, Utah, Colorado, and Texas.
An investigation remains ongoing.
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