A former employee of Chico’s Off the Rack in Centralia accused of stealing customer’s receipts and using them to get $1,200 in refunds between January and July of this year is now facing theft and identity theft charges in Lewis County Superior Court.
Alicia Sullivan, 39, of Chehalis, is accused of falsifying customer returns in at least 16 separate instances in order to get money from the refund, according to court documents.
The store’s loss prevention specialist reported the embezzlement to the Centralia Police Department on July 27.
When questioned by officers, Sullivan allegedly admitted to “keeping receipts from different store customers and using them to get refunds, indicating to the store that the person on the receipt was returning an item,” according to court documents.
She reportedly told officers she was using the money “to pay personal expenses like bills or court fines.”
Sullivan was charged with seven counts of second-degree identity theft and one count of second-degree theft in Lewis County Superior Court in August.
She was issued a summons notice to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 13, which she was not present for.
Given that she missed the hearing, a judge issued a $20,000 warrant for Sullivan’s arrest.
