CASSOPOLIS — Video introduced at a Dowagiac woman’s trial this week revealed she was doing more than bargain hunting at a local store.

She was looking for a steal.

A District Court jury panel observed store video of Lynnece Annette Nelson, age 46, of 114 Jones St., Dowagiac, entering the Dowagiac Family Fare, commandeering a shopping cart and also picking up a reusable grocery bag.

The defendant then began to casually stroll the aisles of the business.

The first tip to her intentions came when, instead of placing her desired items directly into the cart,

she began placing them in the reusable bag.

The second suggestor was her lengthy time in the aisles.

She wandered the store for over an hour, picking out approximately $23 worth of items.

But the most telling actions came when the defendant, after hovering around the front entrance and the cash registers for 20 minutes — watching the actions of the clerks for most of this time — saw her chance and then made for the door with her unpaid goods.

And all of it was recorded and played for the jury at trial.

Family Fare Loss Prevention Department employees also testified regarding the woman’s actions.

They explained how she loitered around the exit and registers for approximately 20 minutes before craftily slipping out into the parking lot.

Police located Nelson later in the day at her home, with the merchandise.

She claimed she just innocently forgot to pay.

But the jurors saw clearly viewed a different story on video.

They saw instead, a woman working up the courage and looking for the opportunity to stealthfully slip away with the unpaid property of the business.

The six jurors returned a verdict of guilty as charged of third-degree retail fraud.

Cass County Assistant Prosecutor Tiffiny Vohwinkle tried the case.

Dowagiac Police Department investigated the incident.

Prosecutor Victor Fitz stated Wednesday, “This grown woman should be ashamed of the poor example she has set for her children as well as the youth in our community. Stealing from an honest business trying to survive in a tough economy. What a selfish act.”

Nelson has two adult children, according to Fitz.

Upon receiving the guilty verdict, District Judge Stacey Rentfrow immediately sentenced Nelson to four months probation.

Rentrfrow also advised if the defendant did not comply with probation, including fines, costs, restitution and community service, she would be spending 30 days in jail.

In addition to this conviction, Nelson also awaits an Oct. 18th, 2011, trial in Circuit Court for the following Dowagiac-area felony charges: possession of counterfeit tools, two counts of using a computer to commit a crime and four counts of uttering and publishing counterfeit bills.