Oil City Woman Allegedly Caught on Surveillance Video During Walmart Shoplifting Spree Waives Hearing

| March 24, 2023

VENANGO CO., Pa. (EYT) – An Oil City woman who was reportedly caught on surveillance video during a Walmart Shoplifting spree waived her hearing on Wednesday.

According to court documents, 50-year-old Iva Ann Whitton, of Oil City, waived the following charges during a preliminary hearing on Wednesday, March 22, in Venango County Central Court with Magisterial District Judge Patrick E. Lowrey presiding:

– Retail Theft – Under Ring, Misdemeanor 1
– Receiving Stolen Property, Misdemeanor 1

The case was transferred to the Venango County Court of Common Pleas.

She is currently free on $500.00 unsecured bail.

Details of the case:

According to court documents, State Police in Franklin filed criminal charges against 50-year-old Iva Ann Whitton, of Oil City, in Magisterial District Judge Patrick E. Lowrey’s office on February 15.

A PSP Franklin trooper was dispatched to Walmart on Kimberly Lane in Cranberry Township, Venango County on January 11, 2023, at approximately 12:58 p.m. Upon arrival, the trooper made contact with a Walmart loss prevention employee, who advised the trooper that while walking the sales floor by the self-checkout, he observed a female that he identified as Iva Ann Whitton, according to a criminal complaint.

The loss prevention employee recognized her due to having observed previous thefts conducted by her in the past, the complaint states.

The loss prevention employee advised that she had not been apprehended on previous thefts but had surveillance footage, the complaint notes.

He told the trooper that on that day he had observed Whitton grab multiple “lol surprise” toys and then walk to the self-checkout. She attempted to appear to scan items but wasn’t. An employee working at the self-checkout offered to help her, but she continued to under-ring items and completed her sale, according to the complaint.

Whitton then passed all points of sale and made her way to the exit with multiple unpaid items. The loss prevention employee stopped her at the exit and requested that she come to the loss prevention office, at which point he contacted PSP Franklin, the complaint notes.

The trooper transported Whitton back to PSP Franklin where she was processed and released. The trooper advised Whitton that her charges would be dependent on the evidence that was to be provided by Walmart on a later date, the complaint indicates.

On January 24, the loss prevention employee provided the trooper with multiple disks of surveillance footage of multiple other thefts that were conducted from October 19, 2022, to January 11, 2023. He provided receipts for each theft showing that 65 items were stolen, valued at $581.12, according to the complaint.

Charges were filed against Whitton on February 15.


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