GREENVILLE, Pa. — Three Ohio men, including two from Ashtabula County, are in Mercer County Jail for running a theft ring that stole video games and systems from Walmart stores and then sold them for cash, according to authorities in Pennsylvania.

Thomas  Hamilton, 42, of Ashtabula; Alex Plitt, 34, of Jefferson; and Christopher Patton, 25, address unknown, were caught Aug. 25 after hitting up Walmart stores  in Ohio and Pennsylvania for at least several months, Hempfield Township Patrolman Daniel McCloskey said Wednesday.

Each is charged with criminal conspiracy to commit retail theft and retail theft, and Hamilton is also charged with trespassing. All were jailed after failing to post $50,000 bond each.

According to McCloskey and court documents, police were called Aug. 25 to a Hadley Road restaurant for a domestic dispute outside between Plitt and a woman.

Two other men who had been with Plitt already had run off, and Plitt said he didn’t know why they would leave.  Plitt gave police permission to search his truck and they found a security device, which Plitt didn’t recognize. A Walmart loss-prevention employee later identified the device as the kind the store uses.

Police found Patton near a different Hadley Road restaurant, according to police and court reports.  They found Hamilton outside a store on Williamson Road. Behind that building, police found a paper shredder box full of new Xbox games.

Hamilton said he bought a soft drink that day at the Walmart at 45 Williamson, and acted as a shield for Patton, who stole the games, according to authorities.

Hamilton also acknowledged to police he was wanted by Hermitage police for retail theft from Walmart on Hermitage Road.

Authorities said Hamilton admitted he and Plitt had stolen from several Walmart stores.

He said he went in first, took video games to the toy section, packed them in a box and marked it with the first piece of tape from a new roll, which has a line on it.

Hamilton indicated Plitt as the ringleader, saying Plitt was to pay him $100 for the Aug. 25 theft. Hamilton said he didn’t know if Plitt or Patton had picked up the shredder box.

Hamilton’s story was a lie, Plitt said, saying he knew nothing about the payment or theft.

Patton said the three men came to town together and Plitt had asked him to get the box Hamilton packed and marked.

Patton said he found the marked box, paid for a shredder that the clerk assumed was still inside and left. He said dumped the box behind a nearby building and ran when he saw police.

The box was returned to Walmart and the 22 games inside were valued at $1,779.

Police said the three men had been spotted earlier that day at the Meadville Walmart, but Hamilton was scared off by employees while he was gathering video games.

Police believe the three may have committed similar crimes at Walmart stores in Edinboro, Pine Township and Hermitage, and in Madison, Eastlake, Mentor and Chardon.

Police said a store in Ashtabula may have bought the stolen items from the men.

The three were arraigned Aug. 25 by District Judge Brian Arthur, Greenville. Charges against Patton were held to Mercer County Court of Common Pleas Wednesday.

Plitt’s hearing is Sept. 8 and Hamilton’s is Sept. 20, both before Arthur. Hamilton was arraigned Aug. 25 by District Judge Ronald E. Antos, Hermitage, for the Hermitage retail theft, and that hearing is set for Sept. 14.