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Aug 05, 2023

Walmart customer arrested after 'item fell out of his pocket' while using self

A WALMART shopper has met with some trouble with the law after accidentally

A WALMART shopper has met with some trouble with the law after accidentally dropping a personal item at the self-checkout counter.

Robert James Gerald Centala, 59, was shopping in a Walmart in Michigan, where he left the item after concluding his shopping.

ABC 12 reports that authorities were called into the store after another shopper alerted the store's workers.

He informed them of a small bag that was left atop the self-checkout counter, containing a white powdery substance.

Police tested the substance and found that it tested positive for cocaine.

Authorities then reviewed the store's surveillance footage, finding the culprit.

Allegedly, the video showed the moment when the bag of cocaine fell from Centala's pocket.

It appears like Centala reached for his wallet to pay for his items and ended up dropping the bag of cocaine.

Police from Alpena County issued an arrest warrant for Centala, who turned himself into the police voluntarily.

He was allegedly arraigned for one count of cocaine possession.

The news outlet reports that Centala was released from custody after paying his bond of $2,500.

In recent years, Walmart has met various issues with theft, sparked by the prevalence of self-checkout counters.

In hopes of curbing these situations, Walmart workers have become more strict with their rules.

Lawyers are suggesting shoppers be careful when using self-checkout, considering that at times people can be prosecuted after making a mistake.

"It will be your word versus the store," said Olga Gutierrez, a paralegal from The Lebedevitch Law Firm, LLC.