WARSAW — An Elkhart man was recently arrested after police say he stole from the Warsaw Walmart and returned the item for a gift card.

Darius Leandrew Branch

Darius Leandrew Branch, 45, 2220 Roys Ave., Elkhart, is being charged with theft, a class A misdemeanor, and sentence enhancement theft, a level 6 felony.

On April 21, an officer with the Warsaw Police Department responded to a theft at Walmart. A Walmart employee advised that a male subject, later identified as Branch, had stolen a tooth whitening kit valued at $42.67. According to the employee, Branch approached a register, grabbed a Walmart shopping bag, placed the tooth whitening kit inside the bag and then walked past all points of pay without purchasing the item.

The employee further advised that Branch then went to the store’s customer service to return the tooth whitening kit without a receipt. Branch presented his identification and received a Walmart shopping card for $42.67.

The officer compared Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles photos of Branch with the Walmart surveillance video to confirm Branch’s identity.

Branch was previously convicted of theft in Elkhart County in 2014 and 1997. He was booked into the Kosciusko County Jail on May 28, with a $2,750 surety and cash bond.