A Mountain Home woman pleaded guilty Monday to charges connected to a shoplifting scheme that authorities say netted nearly $3,000 in stolen goods.
Jill Marie Morgan, 46, appeared in Baxter County Circuit Court, where she was sentenced to three years of probation after admitting to theft of property charges. Her attorney, Emily Reed, told the court that restitution had been paid in full and was held in her trust account.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Morgan visited the same local store 25 times between December 11 of last year and February 24, allegedly using a shoplifting technique known as “skip scanning.” Store surveillance footage reportedly showed Morgan holding multiple items together as she passed them through a self-checkout scanner, resulting in only one item being registered for purchase while the others went unpaid.
Authorities also alleged Morgan attempted to return an unpaid denim jacket to the store’s customer service desk for a refund. The refund was reportedly loaded onto an in-store shopping card, which she then used to make purchases.
The Mountain Home Police Department became involved after the store’s review of “walk-off” receipts uncovered evidence of theft during Morgan’s visits. A police investigator contacted Morgan, informed her she had been trespassed by the business, and confirmed that the store was pursuing charges in the case.
Morgan was sentenced under the provisions of Act 346, Arkansas’s first offenders’ law. If she avoids legal trouble during her probation, she may apply to have her record sealed.
Court records show Morgan has been free on a $5,000 bond.