Lower Frederick Township Police. Photo by James Short.
Theresa Wampole is accused of shoplifting low-cost items in a spree that allegedly spanned weeks at the Zieglerville Wawa
A Lower Frederick Township woman with a history of retail theft convictions has been charged with felony retail theft and receiving stolen property by township police for allegedly stealing a $4 box of Alka-Seltzer and a $3 coffee over a two-day period from Wawa, in addition to stealing numerous other items totaling more than $100 over several weeks.
Authorities said Theresa L. Wampole, 61, of the 200 block of Goshen Road, is currently on probation for a recent retail theft in another municipality.
On April 8, police met with a manager at Wawa at 3 Big Road in the Zieglerville section of the township, regarding an ongoing issue of retail theft.
Police allege Wampole, a regular customer at Wawa, had been concealing items in her purse before purchasing other items and leaving the store. On April 8, Wampole and another man, later identified as her husband, Alfred Wampole, went to the medication section, where she told staff she had heartburn, before removing the Alka-Seltzer package from the shelf, police said.
Wampole went to the ATM, where she met up with the man, and made a withdrawal. She went to the self-checkout and bought a large coffee and coffee roll, before leaving the store, police said, without paying for the medicine. Surveillance footage allegedly shows Wampole putting the medication in her shopping bag without buying it.
Police said the Wampoles are known to police from multiple prior police contacts.
On April 10, Wampole returned to Wawa, paid for multiple energy drinks, but failed to pay for a 24-ounce coffee for $2.86, police said.
Wawa personnel provided police with receipts for the stolen items. Police said management could not provide a truly accurate accounting of other items taking over the last several weeks, but estimated it was well above $100.
Management wanted Wampole prosecuted for the current thefts, and requested police ban her from the store, according to the complaint.
On April 11, police called Wampole and she allegedly had many spontaneous utterances including, “I have more than enough money for that, and I can’t afford to get in trouble right now,” and “I must have missed scanning some things,” according to the affidavit.
Wampole told police she would come into the store, pay them back and promise not to come back, per the complaint.
On April 14, police contacted Wampole again, to which she allegedly admitted that she might have missed some things, she will pay them back and promise not to come back, and that she does not want to go to prison.
Authorities issued a summons for Wampole on Wednesday. She is not jailed or has bail, per court documents. A preliminary hearing is set for June 3 before Magisterial District Judge Maurice H. Saylor.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
