A 40-year-old Walmart cashier in DeLand, Florida, was arrested and charged with grand theft after authorities say she stole a customer’s winning lottery ticket worth $2,700. The incident, which occurred on June 14, 2026, was captured on store surveillance video, according to a Volusia Sheriff’s Office arrest affidavit.
Tameka Hall now faces one felony charge of grand theft of property valued between $750 and $5,000 following her arrest. She was booked into the Volusia County Branch Jail after the winning ticket was found in her vehicle.
How the alleged theft unfolded
According to the arrest affidavit, the incident began when a male customer came to the Walmart store in DeLand on June 14, 2026, to cash in his winning lottery ticket. The customer, whose name has not been released by authorities, told police that he plays the same lottery numbers every day.
When the customer presented his winning ticket to Hall, the cashier allegedly told him that the $2,700 prize amount was too large to dispense at the store. Hall then provided the customer with instructions on how to cash the ticket elsewhere, according to the affidavit.
However, instead of returning the ticket to the customer, Hall allegedly kept it. The store manager later reviewed surveillance footage and witnessed Hall pocketing the winning lottery ticket on video. Authorities say Hall left work for the day and never returned the ticket to the store or to any manager.
What we know so far
The Volusia Sheriff’s Office arrest affidavit confirms the following details about the case:
Tameka Hall, age 40, worked as a cashier at the Walmart location in DeLand, Florida. The winning lottery ticket she allegedly stole was worth exactly $2,700. Store surveillance video captured the moment Hall pocketed the ticket after telling the customer he could not cash it at that location.
When police spoke to Hall on June 15, 2026, the day after the alleged theft, she claimed she had intended to return the ticket to a manager. However, authorities found the winning lottery ticket in the front seat of Hall’s vehicle during their investigation.
Hall was subsequently arrested and transported to the Volusia County Branch Jail. She faces one felony charge of grand theft of property valued between $750 and $5,000 under Florida law.
The customer’s account
The victim, a male customer who has not been publicly identified, reported the incident to police. According to the affidavit, he told investigators that he plays the same lottery numbers every day. When he won the $2,700 prize and attempted to collect his winnings at the Walmart store, he was told by Hall that the amount was too large to be paid out at that location.
Following Hall’s instructions, the customer left the store to cash his ticket elsewhere, not realizing that the cashier had allegedly kept his winning ticket. The customer later discovered the ticket was missing and reported the situation to authorities.
Surveillance evidence
The case against Hall appears to rely heavily on video evidence. According to the arrest affidavit, a store manager at the DeLand Walmart reviewed surveillance footage from the transaction in question. The video allegedly shows Hall pocketing the customer’s winning lottery ticket rather than returning it.
After the manager observed the footage, the information was provided to the Volusia Sheriff’s Office. Investigators confronted Hall the following day, on June 15, 2026, about the missing ticket.
Hall’s response to investigators
When police questioned Hall about the missing lottery ticket, she claimed that she did not intend to deprive the customer of his winnings. According to the arrest affidavit, Hall stated that she had planned to return the ticket to a manager.
Despite this claim, authorities noted that Hall left work for the day on June 14 without returning the ticket. The winning lottery ticket was ultimately recovered from the front seat of Hall’s vehicle, according to the affidavit.
Charges and legal consequences
Hall has been charged with one felony count of grand theft of property valued between $750 and $5,000. Under Florida law, this charge applies to theft of property within a specific value range, which in this case corresponds to the $2,700 winning lottery ticket.
It is important to note that Hall has been charged but not convicted. She is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
What happens next
Hall was booked into the Volusia County Branch Jail following her arrest. Information regarding her bail status, court date, or whether she has retained legal representation has not been made public at this time.
It also remains unclear whether the victim has been able to recover his $2,700 lottery winnings now that the ticket has been located by authorities. Additionally, Hall’s employment status at Walmart following the incident has not been confirmed.
Frequently asked questions
What charges does the Walmart cashier face?
Tameka Hall faces one felony charge of grand theft of property valued between $750 and $5,000. The charge relates to the alleged theft of a customer’s $2,700 winning lottery ticket at a Walmart store in DeLand, Florida.
Where did the Florida Walmart lottery ticket theft occur?
The incident occurred at a Walmart store in DeLand, Florida. DeLand is located in Volusia County in the central-eastern part of the state.
How was the stolen lottery ticket found?
According to the Volusia Sheriff’s Office arrest affidavit, investigators found the winning lottery ticket in the front seat of Tameka Hall’s vehicle after store surveillance footage showed her pocketing the ticket.
How much was the stolen lottery ticket worth?
The winning lottery ticket that Hall allegedly stole was worth $2,700, according to the arrest affidavit.
The case remains ongoing as Hall awaits further legal proceedings following her arrest and booking at the Volusia County Branch Jail. Authorities have not released additional details about the timeline for her court appearance or the status of the victim’s lottery winnings.
