State police have accused a supermarket clerk of stealing more than $80,000 from his store by pretending to pay refunds to customers.

Joshua Bertoncello, 21, of Slippery Rock, was charged with theft of money from the Giant Eagle store near Butler since January 2005.

Police alleged that Mr. Bertoncello, who worked at the customer service counter, took the money to pay for more than $40,000 in charges he ran up on his mother's credit cards and for other items.

Police allege Mr. Bertoncello pretended that he paid refunds to customers who presented discount cards. The store allowed customers who forgot to use the cards at the checkout counters get retroactive refunds if they presented the cards and their receipts to customer service, police said.

Authorities said the store discovered the missing money in an audit and further investigation showed that Mr. Bertoncello was working when the largest card refunds were handed out.