City woman charged in alleged Walmart theft ring

Koch accused of filling carts before exiting self-checkout area without paying

CLEARFIELD -- An Altoona woman allegedly involved with a theft ring targeting Walmart stores has been charged with felony theft for two incidents at the Clearfield store.

Police say Tammi Marie Koch, 37, was arrested after she returned to the Clearfield Walmart on Monday.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, she was part of a larger investigation into thefts at several Walmart stores in and out of Pennsylvania. Koch was identified as the "main female involved."

Her tattoos helped make that connection because she had been arrested in Keyser, West Virginia, for grand larceny at that Walmart.

A Walmart employee on a task force told police Koch and a man later identified as John Setser, 31, also of Altoona, "pushed a cart full of merchandise, worth $1,664.49 past all points of sale" and made no effort to pay on Sept. 23.

Surveillance video reportedly shows the pair filling up a cart with clothing, household items, computer accessories and other items before they walk out through the self-checkout area with their cart and leave the store.

The alarm went off, but they did not stop and continued to the parking lot where they loaded everything in a white Toyota sedan.

Felony charges against Setser are pending, online court documents show.

Two others from Altoona also are suspected of being involved in a November theft.

During the second theft, video reveals that after entering the store, Koch and a man separated, each filling up a cart before Koch leaves without paying again.

She reportedly took items worth $2,196.58 in that incident.

Further investigation into everything the others from Altoona may have taken is being done to determine their part in the theft ring.

Koch has two previous retail theft cases in addition to the grand larceny case.

In her interview with investigators, Koch admitted that the thefts occurred at various places but was shocked at the total dollar amount taken.

She explained the items were sold online, but "people do not pay that much for the items."

Koch stated that she "likes to help people and gives friends and family money."

The criminal complaint says that stealing appeared to be her "main sources of income."

Unable to post $100,000 bail, Koch was remanded to the Clearfield County Corrections Facility.

Her preliminary hearing is set for Dec. 13.