Woman from Malone charged with third-degree burglary after being caught stealing from local Walmart

Malone, New York – A 59-year-old woman from Malone is facing a felony charge after being arrested for allegedly stealing from Walmart in two separate incidents and violating a restriction barring her from the store.

On June 8, 2025, State Police were called to the Walmart on State Route 11 in the town of Malone after store employees reported a theft. According to authorities, the woman entered the store, took items totaling $71.30, and exited without paying, bypassing all points of sale.

Store staff quickly provided responding troopers with a detailed description of the suspect and the license plate number of the vehicle she used to flee the scene. Acting on that information, a trooper located the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. The woman inside matched the description provided by Walmart employees.

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Police identified the suspect as Catherine M. Tambini, a resident of Malone. Tambini was taken into custody and transported to SP Malone for processing.

As investigators continued their work, they discovered that this was not Tambini’s first offense at the same store. On April 20, 2025, she had allegedly stolen merchandise valued at $525.53, once again leaving the store without paying. Surveillance footage and witness accounts tied her to both incidents.

Further investigation revealed that Tambini was already prohibited from entering any Walmart locations due to past incidents of trespassing. Her presence inside the store on both dates constituted a violation of those restrictions.

Because of this prior ban, Tambini’s June 8 theft qualified as a felony under New York State law. She was charged with burglary in the third degree, a class D felony that applies when a person knowingly enters or remains unlawfully in a building with intent to commit a crime.

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Tambini was arraigned in the Town of Malone Court, where the judge ordered her remanded to Franklin County Jail.

Authorities have not released information about a court date or whether Tambini has retained legal counsel.

Police remind the public that a person is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. However, they also emphasize that repeat offenses and violations of court orders or bans are taken seriously and may result in upgraded charges.

The case remains under investigation.