Four people have been accused of trying to return merchandise they allegedly stole from a New Jersey Wal-Mart in a scheme dating back weeks, police say.

Police began investigating after security guards at the Wal-Mart in Franklin noticed the four suspects acting strangely in the store.

The suspects allegedly went to the Sussex County store daily, sometimes taking things off shelves and returning them or coming in with empty bags with the Wal-Mart logo, authorities said.

Police say they later learned that the suspects stole items from the store and fooled employees into thinking they had paid for the merchandise. Some of the suspects even took store receipts from paying customers and used them as checklists for items to steal, police say.

Later, the suspects would bring the items back to return them for cash, police say.

All four suspects face shoplifting and theft-related charges.