Walmart worker charged with theft of gift cards

AUSTINTOWN

A Walmart employee gave away $3,500 in gift cards, according to a police report.

Joi Shorter, 22, of Youngstown, allegedly gave seven $500 gift cards to a male suspect and allowed him to leave without paying.

Shorter claimed she did not know the male suspect, who was with two other men. She alleged that the men threatened that she would lose her house and her mom's car if she did not comply. She told police they said they would swipe a card to reset the register, so her drawer would not come up short. The instructions were presented on a cell phone handed to Shorter, according to the report.

Shorter was charged with felony theft and will appear in Mahoning County Area Court here Monday.