Upper Gwynedd Township Police. Photo by James Short.
A Worcester Township woman with a history of retail theft convictions has been charged by Upper Gwynedd Township Police with felony retail theft for stealing more than $400 in groceries over a four-month period.
Police said Lisa M. Lantonio, 48, of the 2800 block of Highview Drive, committed the thefts on 11 different occasions, beginning Feb. 20, 2024 to May 4 at Weis Markets, 1551 S. Valley Forge Road. All in all, police allege Lantonio stole 64 items totaling $475.15.
Lantonio, police said, would appear to scan items at self checkout and place them into bags in the bagging area, but she would not have the scanner read the barcode of the items. She would also leave items in or underneath the cart, making no attempt to scan them or pay for them, police said.
An employee confronted Lantonio about scanning the items under her cart on one occasion, to which she allegedly replied that the items were already scanned.
Police said between Feb. 20 and Feb. 26, Lantonio stole 18 items totaling more than $118. Between March 2 and March 31, Lantonio stole 26 items, totaling more than $200, police said. Between April 21 and May 4, Lantonio, police said, stole 13 20 items, totaling more than $120.
Police contact Lantonio and informed her of the alleged incidents at Weis. She claimed to have no knowledge of them, but never denied she took the items, police said in the complaint.
Lantonio, police said, insisted each instance was a mistake, and she always scans every item, even the ones under the cart.
She is free on $2,500 unsecured bail, set July 3 by Magisterial District Judge Patrick O. Krouse at arraignment. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 12 at 11 a.m. before Magisterial District Judge Suzan Leonard, according to court records.
