La Grange woman charged with embezzlement

LA GRANGE — On Oct. 20, the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office arrested and charged a Food Lion employee with larceny and embezzlement.

After a three-month investigation at the Food Lion grocery store in La Grange, Chiquita Latrice Cannon, 28, of 620 W. King St., LaGrange, was charged with 12 counts of larceny by employee and 12 counts of embezzlement for illegally and purposely “sliding” items to customers.

“The Loss Prevention Department of Food Lion realized something was going on in July,” LCSO Capt. Jim Oldenburg said. “They contacted us and we started our investigation by interviewing customers, Cannon and other Food Lion employees.”

According to the sheriff’s office, the investigation revealed that Cannon was not ringing up items that were brought to the register or sliding a grocery item that was significantly cheaper in the place of the regular bar code.

A value for the items allegedly stolen was not available. Oldenburg said Cannon turned herself in to the LCSO’s La Grange office once she was notified there was a warrant for her arrest. Cannon was placed in the Lenoir County Jail under $10,000 bond.

“Our investigation is ongoing,” Oldenburg said. “It’s possible that more employees and customers are involved.”

Jon Dawson can be reached at 252-559-1083 or jdawson@freedomenc.com.