Stealing from Walmart to give to the poor?

LA PORTE, Ind. -- Kasey Hill, a 21-year-old cashier at the Walmart on Boyd Boulevard, is being dubbed "The Robin Hood of La Porte."  She's accused, and has confessed to, stealing exactly $575.09 in groceries from June 22 to July 3.

"I was giving a few people I know some groceries for free because they were in need and I thought I could help them with groceries by giving them a few things for free," she wrote in a statement to Walmart.

According to court documents, a Walmart security officer noticed that Hill had a large amount of price overrides on her register on four different occasions.  The officer then looked through security footage of the questionable transactions.

"Customer arrives at register and Kasey begins ringing item's up.  Many item's through this transaction are not rang.  They are voided and still bagged, never rang but still bagged or price override," the officer wrote on court documents.  "There are also $13 in coupons that were never received.  Kasey keyed them in, but never actually received them."

The first time, on June 22, Hill ended up costing Walmart $83.60.  On July 2, she cost them $250, and on July 3 Hill cost them $114.61 and $126.81 in separate transactions.  Each time, she used price overrides, didn't scan items, and scanned coupons that customers didn't have.

"I'll pay all $575.09 of restitution," Hill said in her statement to Walmart admitting to the thefts.

LaPorte police arrested Hill and she had her first court appearance on Wednesday.  According to the court documents, she entered a plea of not guilty and will be assigned a public defender.

Shoppers outside the Walmart in LaPorte had mixed reactions to what Hill had done.

"I think she was like Robin Hood, she was trying to help people out but she probably did it wrong," said Steve Burgess.

Others also understood her motivations.

"I think it's very sad, because so many people don't have food, but I don't think that's right because it's stealing," said Susan Horney.

Many also believed it was a sign of rough economic times.

"Under normal circumstances, I don't know who she is, but she probably wouldn't steal from anybody," Steve Burgess said.  "She just figured Walmart's multi-millionaires so why not give a little?"

Hill is currently in the LaPorte County Jail with a $6000 bond.  Each of the four theft counts she faces can bring up to three-years in prison, but a La Porte police official said it is highly unlikely she will serve consecutive terms and will likely serve three-years for all four counts if convicted.  She's scheduled to appear in court in October.