Baby shower guest steals, uses gift cards
Post-Tribune staff report June 25, 2012 5:24PM
Jasmine Jan Walker. | Provided Photo~Sun-Times Media
Updated: July 28, 2012 6:13AM
MERRILLVILLE — A Gary woman is accused of stealing $300 in gift cards after a friend’s baby shower and using them to make purchases at Merrillville stores.
Jasmine Jan Walker-Moorehead was in attendance at Shelomi Tennione-Hoff’s baby shower June 16 in Merrillville.
Tennione-Hoff received several gift cards during the shower and placed the gift cards on a table to be retrieved later. She then noticed that they were all missing when she went to leave for the night.
Her mother-in-law, Constance Debitt, had purchased some of the gift cards and gave Tennione-Hoff the receipt for the cards purchased at Target.
A Target loss prevention worker tracked down the serial number from the gift cards’ original purchase. He found that they were subsequently used in three separate purchases totalling $228.10 on June 16.
The store provided police with surveillance video, which Tennione-Hoff and her husband, Peter Hoff, watched. They identified Walker-Moorehead as the person making the purchases and noted she was wearing the same clothing as she had at the shower.
The Hoffs have known Walker-Moorehead for several years, they told police, and met the woman at church.
Police apprehended Walker-Moorehead at her place of business. She admitted to taking five gift cards, valued at $300 during the baby shower and making the purchases. She told police she was embarrassed by the incident and wants to make restitution to the family.
Walker-Moorehead told polcie she also had stolen gift cards for Babies R Us and the Children’s Place that she hadn’t yet used.
