The Benton Police Department has arrested a woman on charges of lottery fraud on the morning of Thursday, September 1, 2016 at Jimmy’s Super Stop on Edison Avenue.
On 09/01/2016, approximately 8:15am, a Benton Police Officer responded to Jimmy’s Superstop for a report of a theft and made contact with the store manager. The manager stated that over the last few months, the cash register has been short, along with lottery tickets missing. She stated that they began looking at cameras and have found that employee, Elizabeth Bennett, age 59, of Benton, has been stealing cash and lottery tickets.
While at the store, the manager showed the officer video footage of Bennett behind the store counter at the cash register taking lottery tickets off of the rolls. Bennett appeared to put tickets into her purse but did not appear to put money into the register.
The manager said she reviewed several days of footage and each morning, while Bennett is the only one at the store, Bennett would steal the tickets. She also said Bennett was cashing in the winning tickets and taking the money, along with additional money from time to time out of the register.
The officer asked Bennett to step outside to his patrol unit, and he issued her Miranda rights there. She agreed to speak to the officer about the incident and admitted to stealing several lottery tickets. She said she was cashing in the winning lottery tickets for cash. She also said she had taken several hundred dollars in cash from the store, but was unsure of a dollar amount. Bennett voluntarily completed a written statement.
The manager then came outside and informed Bennett she was no longer employed by the store and did not need to return. The officer advised Bennett of her trespass warning. The officer then placed Bennett into double-locked handcuffs and searched her belongings and person. During the search, the officer stated that he found several lottery tickets and fast cash slips. Bennett stated they were all paid for tickets, not the ones she stole. Bennett was transported to Saline County Jail without incident.
While at the jail, Bennett stated she used the winnings off a fast cash slip to buy the other fast cash lottery tickets. She said the original fast cash ticket however was stolen, therefore the winnings were not hers. She said of the actual scratch lottery tickets, she used the fast cash winnings to buy the big money and 10x crossword tickets. She said other tickets were stolen without any forms of payment. The officer then seized all of the tickets and Fast Cash slips, and has stored them in evidence. She was given a property receipt for the items seized.
The manager provided a written statement, and stated that she would call the police department when video is available. She said she would try to narrow down a final amount cash and tickets stolen, at which time she will call the department. Arkansas Lottery Security was notified of this incident.
Anyone with information about this crime is encouraged to contact the Benton Police Department at 501-778-1171 or 501-315-TIPS. Individuals also may send us an anonymous crime tip about this incident to CRIMES (274637) with the keyword BNPD in the body of the text or go to www.crimereports.com to leave a tip. A crime tip can also be submitted via the official Benton Police Department app found on iTunes and Google Play.
Any suspects listed are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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