DELAND, Fla. – A DeLand Walmart convenience store cashier has been arrested after authorities said she concealed a receipt tied to an elderly customer’s winning Florida Lottery ticket.
The Volusia Sheriff’s Office identified the cashier as 40-year-old Tameka Hall, who is now facing a felony grand theft charge in connection with the incident at the Walmart convenience store on South Woodland Boulevard.
Investigators said the customer went to the store Sunday morning to claim $2,700 in winnings from a Florida Lottery ticket. Hall, who was working the register at the time, reportedly gave him instructions on how to redeem the prize.
Later that day, the man realized he had not been given the receipt required to collect the money and returned to the store to alert management.
Detectives said a store manager checked surveillance footage, which allegedly showed Hall folding the receipt and putting it into the left pocket of her uniform vest before she ended her shift.
Deputies later met with Hall on Monday morning in Walmart’s security office. Investigators said Hall claimed she was distracted by another customer after helping the victim and put the receipt in her pocket with plans to hand it over to a manager, but never followed through.
Authorities said deputies later accompanied Hall to her vehicle, where they recovered the winning lottery receipt before placing her under arrest.
Lottery expert Oscar Acosta, founder of LottoExpert.net, said players should immediately protect winning tickets by signing the back, taking photos and keeping all receipts associated with the claim.
“You need to protect that ticket,” Acosta said. “You don’t want to lose track of that ticket.”
Acosta also said lottery winners should be cautious when claiming prizes, especially as lottery participation continues to grow.
“There is a level of trust,” Acosta said. “It requires a receipt and you can mail it in or if it’s a major prize, you are probably better off going in person.”
Walmart declined to comment on the incident but confirmed Hall is no longer employed by the company.
