Kmart cashier charged with retail theft

Police say she woman passed items to customers and was caught on video lowering prices on merchandise.

By KATHERINE GAZELLA

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 24, 2000

TARPON SPRINGS -- Police arrested a cashier at the local Kmart Monday on charges that she didn't charge customers for some items and reduced the prices for others.

Giuseppina Pugliesi, 22, of New Port Richey was working at the Kmart on U.S. 19 when she repeatedly passed items to customers, police said. She was charged with 10 counts of retail theft, a misdemeanor.

Pugliesi wouldn't tell police whether the customers were friends of hers, Tarpon Springs police Officer Steve Tsataros said.

Store security workers caught her on videotape lowering the price of a children's pool from $39 to about $9, Tsataros said. They also recorded her taking a roll of quarters from the register, as well as lowering the cost of other merchandise, he said. In some cases, she voided the price of an item, he said.

She had worked at the store about three months, according to Tsataros.

In January 1999, Pugliesi was charged with one count of retail theft, Pinellas County court records show. Pugliesi was released from the Pinellas County jail on bail Tuesday.

Times Staff Writer Ed Quioco contributed to this report.

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