Corey Howard

CENTER TWP — A 12-time convicted shoplifter is accused of swiping more than $600 in merchandise from a store at Clearview Mall.

Corey J. Howard, 36, of Butler landed in the Butler County Prison on $30,000 bail following his arrest last week. He faces a hearing in September for felony shoplifting.

State police said an employee at JCPenney in Center Township about 7:20 p.m. Aug. 23 caught Howard putting several items into a book bag, Those items included three diamond-accented necklaces, three smart watches and a pair of blue jeans.

In all, the merchandise was valued at $615.94, according to court documents.

The employee followed the defendant out of the store and into the parking lot, where he was detained until police arrived.

District Judge Lewis Stoughton on Aug. 24 arraigned Howard on a felony count of retail theft.

While normally a summary or misdemeanor offense, retail theft is upgraded to a third-degree felony regardless of the stolen property's value when a defendant has at least two prior convictions for the same crime.

Trooper Philip Treadway, the arresting officer, said Howard has a dozen shoplifting convictions. Court records showed that most of those convictions were in Allegheny County.

His preliminary hearing is set for Sept. 4 at Stoughton's office in Chicora.