Missoula Mall Employee’s $2,654 Fraudulent Scheme Exposed

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - On September 4, 2024, at approximately 1:13 p.m., a Missoula Police Department Officer responded to Southgate Mall after receiving a theft report. A store manager was currently with an employee who had stolen from the business. The officer arrived and spoke with the store manager who stated their employee, 33-year-old Sabrina Nystrom had been completing fraudulent returns and then pocketing cash from the register.  

More specifically, Nystrom was processing “no receipt returns,” which are appropriately used when a customer returns merchandise without a receipt. However, Nystrom was processing these returns without an actual person returning any merchandise and then removing cash from the register for herself. The managers learned about what was going on and then compared Nystrom’s returns against the store’s inventory to verify the thefts. 

According to court documents, Nystrom committed 17 fraudulent transactions, totaling $2,654.52. 

Nystrom admitted that she made fraudulent returns approximately ten to twelve times to cover hotel bills after she lost her housing. She estimated that she stole between $500 and $900 in total, but also estimated that she usually took between $100 and $150 on each occasion, which adds up to more than $900. Nystrom stated she was trying to return the stolen money by ringing up fake purchases of clothing and then adding cash to the register without taking the items.  

While the officer was speaking with Nystrom, the store manager advised that on two occasions money also went missing from bank deposits kept in their safe. The first time the money went missing, it was replaced with a “duplicate slip,” and the second time, which was the day prior, someone cut open the bank envelope, took money out, and cut the wire to the battery in the safe.  

The store manager said Nystrom admitted to replacing the first slip with the duplicate, but Nystrom said it was not to cover up her theft, it was to cover up someone else’s. For the safe theft the day prior, Nystrom admitted to coming to the store early to use the bathroom. She claimed she never touched the safe.  

READ MORE: Missoula News – Crime Reports 

The store has a security system which alerts when someone enters during non-business hours. The two people who closed the night before stated that the safe was not damaged, and the opening manager called almost immediately after arriving to notify the store manager of the safe’s damage. The only other notification on the alarm system was Nystrom coming in that morning.  

The officer asked Nystrom about the safe and she denied involvement. The officer did not include the money stolen from the safe in the above-listed fraudulent transactions.  

Nystrom was placed under arrest and was transported to the Missoula County Detention Facility. She is currently being charged with felony theft.  

The information in this article was obtained from sources that are publicly viewable.