A woman picked up for shoplifting in a Tennessee Walmart earlier this week was apparently no newbie to the stealing scene. Per an affidavit from local police seen by USA Today, the 37-year-old suspect, identified by WREG as Ashley Cross, was arrested on Monday at one of the retailer's Memphis stores shortly before 4pm. The arrest came after a witness says they saw Cross and a companion "stealing from the store." Per the affidavit, Cross was captured on camera at one of Walmart's self-checkout machines, whipping out an old watch battery barcode to scan all of her items for just $1 each.
Cross' boots, blue jeans, T-shirt, and 11 packs of ramen noodles actually cost $137.34, according to the affidavit. The woman with Cross was also charged with theft using the same technique, with a haul just short of $60. But authorities noticed that Cross appeared on an Authorization of Agency (AoA) list for trespassing for her "prior shoplifting encounters," meaning she's "not to be at any Walmart location in the United States." Court records out of Shelby County indicate Cross has been found guilty going back to 2019 of stealing hundreds of dollars' worth of items from not only Walmart, but also Nordstrom, Dick's, and CVS.
"We value our customers and associates and want them to have a pleasant shopping experience," Walmart says in a statement, per WREG. "Though rare, there are instances when someone is no longer welcome in our stores." Newsweek notes Cross isn't the first person to be hit with a harsh ban from the retailer: An Arizona man earned "persona non grata" status in 2013 after being accused of threatening workers, while a New Jersey 63-year-old woman was banned in 2015 for the rest of her days after boosting nearly $80 worth of vitamins. Cross, meanwhile, has been charged with criminal trespass and theft of merchandise less than $1,000 and is being held on $7,500 bond. She's next set to appear in court on Wednesday. (More Walmart stories.)
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