Riverton store clerk admits pocketing $12,000 in bogus refunds

A Riverton convenience store clerk accused of pocketing more than $12,000 from more than 50 fraudulent returns over two weeks allegedly admitted to police he stole money but initially thought it was only about $600.

Macy Tiger, born in 2004, told an investigator “he had been stealing cash due to a tough time and family struggles,” according to an affidavit. He was charged Friday with felony theft-aggregate, carrying up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Management at the Pit Stop Two, where Tiger worked less than three months, identified at least 52 fraudulent transactions totaling over $12,000. The scheme was discovered Dec. 22 when Tiger left behind a receipt showing a cash return for 20 packs of cigarettes that were never bought.

Surveillance video allegedly shows Tiger scanning packs of cigarettes as return transactions with a quantity of 20, generating about $200 per bogus return. He would then remove cash from the register and place it in his wallet. He’s also accused of printing lottery tickets without paying for them, “apparently hoping to win the (then) current $1.5 billion jackpot.”

When confronted with the evidence, Tiger acknowledged the amount might be more than $600 but couldn’t provide an exact figure. He said the most he took at once was about $200.