Janitor busted for taking batteries

HAYDEN - A janitor at Super 1 Foods in Hayden who needed batteries for her portable music player got the attention of store management on Saturday.

But not because of her cleaning abilities.

According to a Kootenai County Sheriff's Office incident report, the janitor was seen on camera removing batteries from a shelf in the store. The woman then began walking toward the loading area of the store while pushing her janitorial cart.

A loss prevention officer told deputies that he then saw the janitor "conceal" the batteries in the front pocket of her gray sweatshirt. The loss prevention agent then followed the janitor to the loading area where, according to the report, he confronted the woman about the stolen batteries.

"(The loss prevention agent) told me he located the barcode backing of the package in the trash bag of the janitorial cart, and the plastic holder with two batteries inside under a piece of paper in the top carrier of the cart," the report states.

When asked why she took the batteries, the janitor said she needed them for her portable music player.

The janitor was issued a citation for willful concealment of the batteries, which according to the report were valued at $1.