Bay High principal accused of shoplifting at Walmart self-checkout remains at work
A preliminary hearing is set in September for longtime Bay High School Principal Amy Yarborough Necaise on a misdemeanor charge of shoplifting.
Necaise is out of jail on a $500 bond after turning herself in at the Waveland Police Department on Tuesday.
The arrest came after a Walmart employee went to the police station and signed an affidavit accusing the longtime school administrator of the theft.
The Sun Herald filed a records to obtain the affidavit, which accuses Necaise of stealing items valued at $123.66 on Sunday at the Highway 90 business.
The document does not identify the items allegedly stolen.
The alleged crime occurred while Necaise was using the store’s self-checkout and didn’t scan items she left with, Waveland Police Chief Mike Prendergast said.
Bay High principal will remain at work
Video cameras at the Walmart stores capture footage of shoppers using self-checkout to scan and pay for items.
It has become common, Predergast said, for Walmart to file anywhere from 30 to 35 shoplifting complaints a month in the city, most of which involve shoppers allegedly stealing items during self-checkout..
Meanwhile, Necaise is free on a $500 misdemeanor bond is set to return to Municipal Court for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 26.
Necaise, who could not be reached for comment, has remained on the job since her arrest.
Bay-Waveland School Superintendent Sandra Reed has declined to comment.
On Thursday, the Sun Herald spoke briefly spoke to Casey Farve, president of the Bay-Waveland School Board, to find out if there were plans to address the matter.
“It’s my understand that this remains under investigation,” Farve said, “and we cannot comment related to the personnel matter at this time.”
In addition to serving as Bay High principal since 2013, Necaise previously served in the same capacity at Waveland Elementary School. She also held other jobs in the district over the years.
