Pair Sentenced in 11-State $362K Walmart Theft

Two men were sentenced after prosecutors said they stole $362,844 in merchandise from Walmart stores across 11 states over a 10-month period beginning in 2022. Anthony Belser, 56, received a 25-year sentence with 10 years in prison, while George Mayo, 52, received 40 years with 20 years behind bars. Investigators linked the pair to 51 thefts through security footage, financial records and rental-car contracts, and said they concealed expensive items inside larger products or emptied retail boxes before paying for the lower-priced merchandise. The investigation began after a nearly $15,000 electronics theft in Georgia, where Mayo was arrested and Belser later fled; both eventually pleaded guilty to Georgia RICO and organized-retail-theft charges. They were also ordered to pay $328,448 in restitution and will face restrictions on where they may live in Georgia after release.