MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A man’s plan to steal cigarettes went up in smoke.
According to police reports, 28-year-old Tiron Peoples worked at the Sam’s Club in the 1800 block of Getwell Road.
Just before noon on Monday, police received a call from the store supervisor accusing Peoples of embezzlement.
He told investigators the employee was working his normal duty when a male “customer” walked up to the register with sixty cartons of Newport cigarettes.
Peoples scanned all of them, but then voided the transaction.
The cartons of cigarettes were then hidden underneath merchandise that had been legally paid for by another male “customer.”
All three walked out of the Sam’s Club with more than $3,000 in stolen cigarettes and loaded the cartons into a silver Toyota 4Runner.
The supervisor provided investigators with surveillance video, still shots, and the electronic journal information from Peoples’ register.
The suspect admitted he had made a mistake but wouldn’t give a written statement on the theft.
Peoples was charged with theft of property, and his bond was set at $2,000.
Police have not released any information on the men who helped Peoples in this incident.
