AURORA, Ill. (STMW) – A west suburban woman was charged with theft after she admitted to stealing thousands from the store she worked at for several days by stuffing the cash in her pants.

Malina Phetchanpheng, 19, of the 2300 block of Pagosa Springs Drive, Aurora, was charged with felony theft after she admitted to taking thousands of dollars out of the cash register at the store where she worked and stuffed the money into her pants between Dec. 2 and Tuesday, Aurora police said.

Phetchanpheng was confronted while working at the store in the 100 block of Fox Valley Center Drive, police said.

Phetchanpheng admitted to smuggling out $5,520 in cash in small increments over a period of days, police said. She also took perfume and gift cards, most of which was returned to the store. The total loss was $15,846, police said.

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