Stealing charges in Maplewood

In Maplewood, Syrita Putman, 34, of St. Louis, confessed to stealing money from the U-Gas store on S. Hanley over a period of several weeks in July and August.

According to police and court records she executed fraudulent return transactions, or voided transactions and took the corresponding amount of money from the register. She also took money from “cash drops” rather than putting it in the safe. An internal investigation determined that she had obtained $1,193 from the store.

Terry Thomas, 43, of St. Louis, was charged with stealing video games and a digital camera from the displays at the Maplewood Walmart store. According to police and court records he removed the security sensor from the camera and used a screwdriver, which had had taken from the displays in the hardware department, to pry open the security packaging of the video games. He hid all the items inside a backpack and walked past all points of sale without making any attempt to pay. Thomas was apprehended at the exit and the merchandise was recovered. He said he planned to exchange the items for heroin and cocaine. He was charged twice with stealing in January.