HomeGoods Cashier Charged With Ringing Up False Returns

SKOKIE, IL — A cashier at the Skokie HomeGoods store repeatedly made fake returns, putting the proceeds onto a gift card and using it to buy things before she was discovered by a security guard, authorities said.

Eva Garcia, 31, of the 5100 block of North Kimball Avenue, Chicago, was arrested on the afternoon of Jan. 20 and charged with one count of felony theft following an internal investigation at the store, police said.

Prosecutors said Garcia stole more than $1,171 since Dec. 22 by making four false returns.

"For each occurrence, a customer would check out at [Garcia's] station and [Garcia] would keep a copy of the receipt," Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Alexzandria Johnson explained. "Once the customer left, [Garcia] processed the return and loaded the money on a gift card that [Garcia] kept for personal use."

A loss prevention officer discovered the scam and called Skokie police on Jan. 20, according to police and prosecutors. When officers arrived, she showed them surveillance footage from that day.

"Officers observed [Garcia] at a workstation entering information from a customer's sales receipt, swiping a gift card and placing the card in her pocket," Johnson said.

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All four of the fake returns were caught on tape, and Garcia admitted carrying out the scheme and buying various items with the gift cards, the prosecutor added.

Garcia is a mother of five children between the ages of 3 and 12, according to Assistant Public Defender Sarah Manning. She completed school up to eighth grade, her attorney said.

Cook County Associate Judge Anthony Calabrese ordered Garcia released on her own recognizance ahead of trial and forbid her from having any contact with the store or the security guard who reported her to police.

Garcia is due back in court for a preliminary hearing Feb. 15, although the prosecutor said there may be a plea agreement or other resolution worked out before then.