A Georgia elementary school assistant principal has been accused of brazenly stealing 98 items worth about $1,000 from Walmart using a “stacking” scheme at self-checkout kiosks.
Courtney Janell Shaw, 47, was arrested Monday by the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office after authorities were alerted that she had been swiping merchandise from the retail giant in Woodstock, about 30 miles outside Atlanta, for more than two months, Fox 5 Atlanta reported.
Shaw — an assistant principal at Free Home Elementary School — allegedly stole 98 items valued at $943.97 from Walmart between November and December.
Free Home Elementary School assistant principal Courtney Shaw has been accused of stealing 98 items worth approximately $1,000 from Walmart by using a self-checkout “stacking” scheme.Cherokee Sheriff’s Office
Investigators said Shaw used a “stacking” method at self-checkout kiosks, placing multiple items on top of one another and scanning only one before leaving the store.
A Walmart employee provided authorities with surveillance footage of the alleged thefts on Jan. 12 and used a driver’s license database to identify Shaw as the suspect, according to the outlet.
Authorities said two suspicious vehicles seen in the surveillance footage — a 2018 Ford F-150 and a 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee — were registered to Shaw and later located at her residence.
Shaw was booked into the Cherokee County jail and charged with one felony count of shoplifting following her arrest on Monday.
The mother of one was released later that day on a $4,875 bond.
Shaw allegedly stole 98 items valued at $943.97 from Walmart between November and December.Courtney Shaw/Facebook
Officials at Free Home Elementary School in Cherokee County said Shaw has been placed on administrative leave.
“Immediately upon these allegations being reported, the employee was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of internal and law enforcement investigations,” the district told Fox 5 Atlanta.
“Maintaining the safety and security of our students and staff is our top priority and inappropriate conduct will never be tolerated.”
The veteran educator’s career spans more than two decades and includes leadership roles as an assistant principal at two other elementary schools.
Investigators said Shaw used a “stacking” method at self-checkout kiosks, placing multiple items on top of one another and scanning only one before leaving the store.REUTERS
Her career began as a fifth-grade teacher in North Carolina before teaching multiple grades in Florida, according to the school’s website.
After transitioning into educational leadership in 2012 as assistant principal at Oak Grove Fine Arts Academy, Shaw was appointed assistant principal at Bascomb Elementary in 2016, a role she held for eight years.
In 2024, Shaw joined Free Home as the school’s first full-time assistant principal, bringing 24 years of educational experience.
The school praised Shaw on its website, writing, “She brings a wealth of experience and dedication to her role as Assistant Principal at Free Home.”
Shaw is not the first high-ranking school official accused of using Walmart self-checkout to steal items.
In Florida, Bok Academy North principal Gregory Lewis was at a Walmart in Polk County in March 2025 when an asset protection officer observed him “skip scanning” at the self-checkout.
News
James Handy’s Alleged Killer Revealed — The Shocking Family Connection Has Everyone Talking
James Handy, the actor best known for starring in Top Gun: Maverick and Jumanji, was fatally stabbed by his girlfriend’s son, investigators with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) have alleged. PEOPLE previously reported that at around 9:30 a.m. local time on Wednesday, June 3, Handy, 81, was found suffering from a stab wound to the chest in the front yard […]
James Handy, the actor best known for starring in Top Gun: Maverick and Jumanji, was fatally stabbed by his girlfriend’s son, investigators with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) have alleged. PEOPLE previously reported that at around 9:30 a.m. local time on Wednesday, June 3, Handy, 81, was found suffering from a stab wound to the chest in the front yard of his home in Tarzana, Calif., per a news release from the LAPD. He succumbed to his injuries after being transported to a local hospital. Michael Gledhill has since been arrested and charged with one count of murder, according to jail records obtained by PEOPLE. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. James Handy in Top Gun: Maverick (2022) James Handy in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’. Paramount According to the LAPD’s news release, Gledhill, 44, called 911 to report the stabbing in the 19200 block of Erwin Street. “I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin,” he allegedly told dispatch. James Handy in ‘Jumanji’ James Handy in ‘Jumanji’. Netflix RELATED STORIES When Rachel Nickell Was Killed in Broad Daylight, Her Toddler Son Was the Only Witness. Here’s What Happened Next Rachel Nickell and her son Alex Hanscombe; Robert Napper. Mom of 2 Was Pregnant with Twins When She Was Killed. Her Boyfriend Just Admitted to Pulling the Trigger BreAnna Johnson, Darryl Tyson Jr. Authorities claim that Gledhill lived at the residence alongside his mom, who was in a romantic relationship with Handy. According to police, when officers arrived at the scene, Gledhill flagged them down and allegedly told them “he was the one they were looking for.” James Handy stabbed to death Scene of the fatal stabbing in Tarzana, L.A. 6abc Philadelphia He was then transported to Van Nuys Jail, where he is being held on a $2 million bond, according to jail records viewed by PEOPLE. No motive for the fatal stabbing of Handy has been disclosed publicly at this time. The New York-born actor appeared in dozens of movies and TV shows, including The X-Files, Law & Order, NYPD Blue, NCIS: Los Angeles and Criminal Minds. He made his final onscreen appearance in Top Gun: Maverick in 2022. Detectives believe his death was an “isolated incident and there appears to be no danger to the public at this time,” according to the LAPD’s news release. Neighbors have alleged to Fox 11 that they overheard Gledhill and Handy arguing overnight before the fatal stabbing. One neighbor told the local TV station that Gledhill appeared to suffer from delusions.
James Handy, the actor best known for starring in Top Gun: Maverick and Jumanji, was fatally stabbed by his girlfriend’s son, investigators with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) have alleged. PEOPLE previously reported that at around 9:30 a.m. local time on Wednesday, June 3, Handy, 81, was found suffering from a stab wound to the chest in the front yard […]
Hollywood Reeling After Bombshell Revelation in James Handy Murder Case
Jumanji, was fatally stabbed by his girlfriend’s son, investigators with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) have alleged. PEOPLE previously reported that at around 9:30 a.m. local time on Wednesday, June 3, Handy, 81, was found suffering from a stab wound to the chest in the front yard of his home in Tarzana, Calif., per a news release […]
Shocking Twist: James Handy’s Alleged Killer Identified — The Connection Has Everyone Stunned
Jumanji, was fatally stabbed by his girlfriend’s son, investigators with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) have alleged. PEOPLE previously reported that at around 9:30 a.m. local time on Wednesday, June 3, Handy, 81, was found suffering from a stab wound to the chest in the front yard of his home in Tarzana, Calif., per a news release […]
The 911 Call That Changed Everything: James Handy Case Leaves Fans Speechless
James Handy, an actor with appearances in “Jumanji,” “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Taps,” was brutally murdered by his girlfriend’s son, police said. Authorities raced to the 19200 block of Erwin Street in Tarzana Wednesday morning after a caller stated, “I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin.” When they arrived, cops discovered […]
BREAKING: Hollywood is in shock after authorities revealed heartbreaking new details in the death of Top Gun: Maverick actor James Handy
James Handy, an actor with appearances in “Jumanji,” “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Taps,” was brutally murdered by his girlfriend’s son, police said. Authorities raced to the 19200 block of Erwin Street in Tarzana Wednesday morning after a caller stated, “I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin.” When they arrived, cops discovered […]
End of content
No more pages to load
