Opinion ID: 2637056
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Petty theft at F.W. Woolworth

Text: About 3:00 p.m. on November 19, 1992, Donald Gallagher was working as the assistant manager of the F.W. Woolworth store at 1000 K Street in downtown Sacramento. While conversing with the store manager near the front of the store, Gallagher heard the security alarm sound, signifying that someone had attempted to leave the store with an inventory item still retaining the magnetized tag that is normally demagnetized at the time of purchase. Gallagher approached defendant, who, after having set off the security device, had stepped back inside the store, and asked him if he had purchased anything that might have set off the alarm. Defendant denied having done so. Gallagher asked to look inside the plastic Payless bag defendant was carrying; defendant consented. Inside the bag Gallagher saw several items bearing Woolworth's tags, including a jar of coffee, a hair trimmer set and an umbrella, along with some items not from Woolworth. The store manager asked defendant if he had a receipt for the Woolworth's items in his bag. Defendant replied in the negative, but said he had purchased them earlier in the day and had just returned to the store. Defendant claimed he had paid for the items at register No. 9. Store personnel checked the day's detail tapes for that register, as well as the previous day's tapes, but found no entry corresponding to the $12.99 hair trimmer set in defendant's bag. Police were summoned, and defendant was cited and released on his promise to appear.