W.Va. police say Lowe's clerk thought way to man's heart was through discounted merchandise

Associated Press

Last update: November 12, 2009 - 7:19 PM

NITRO, W.Va. - A former home improvement store clerk in West Virginia has been charged with discounting $20,000 worth of merchandise to win a man's heart. Nitro police arrested 20-year-old Katie Lynn Smith Thursday on a fraudulent schemes charge. She had worked at Lowe's.

A criminal complaint in county court says a security video shows Smith selling the man a pressure washer worth several hundred dollars for $3.66. That's the price of an 80-pound bag of concrete.

The complaint says Smith admitted incorrectly ringing up nearly $20,000 worth of merchandise in four months for "a male she desired as a boyfriend."

Smith's phone number isn't listed and police spokesman Ray Blake says she doesn't have an attorney yet.

Police couldn't say whether the scheme helped her romantic prospects.

Recent Nation stories

Success at Copenhagen climate summit means reshaping the world as we know it - November 12, 2009

Success at Copenhagen climate summit means reshaping the world as we know it - Next month's climate summit in Copenhagen seeks to transform the way we run the planet, from the generation of energy, to the building of homes and cities, to the shaping of the landscape. It would also shift wealth from rich to poor countries in the process. More