An employee of the Lowe’s Home Improvement Center in Mount Pocono has been arrested along with four others for thefts at the store that occurred over a several month period.

Pocono Mountain Regional police said on Dec. 4, 2018, they responded to Lowe’s for a theft report. On scene officers spoke with loss prevention who had a female employee, identified as Brittney Ann Strunk, 21, of Saylorsburg, detained. Loss prevention provided police with video surveillance as well as receipts documenting the thefts.

The several month investigation revealed that while Strunk was working the return counter several people would come in for returns. The people would either make purchases and return with receipts with no items to return or Strunk would print out receipts from other customers and provide them to the other people. Strunk would then return the money amount which was on the receipt. This was going on for several months, police said.

The other people involved in the thefts were identified as Kira A. Valera, 38, and Anthony Valera, 33, both of Eagle Place, Pocono Summit; Braxton Weiss, 22, of Summit Hill; and a 16-year-old male. Two other people were also involved who have yet to be identified.

The total amount of theft was $10,255.74.

Felony charges of criminal conspiracy, theft and theft by deception have been filed along with misdemeanor counts.