A Bismarck woman faces felony charges after allegedly making multiple attempts at stealing hundreds of dollars in merchandise from Wal-Mart stores.

Tara A. Johnson, also known as Tara A. Cournoyer, was charged Friday with two counts of Class C felony attempt to commit theft of property and one count of Class Amisdemeanor attempt to commit theft of property.

South Central District Judge Gail Hagerty set bond for Johnson, 27, at $2,000 cash and prohibited her from going to either of the Bismarck Wal-Mart stores.

Bismarck Police Lt. Randy Ziegler said officers were called to Wal-Mart, 1400 Skyline Boulevard, on Thursday because Johnson was trying to return merchandise that was allegedly stolen.

Loss prevention employees at the store also told police Johnson was suspected of attempting to steal merchandise from the south Wal-Mart location, 2717 Rock Island Place, on Jan. 2 and Jan. 3, and from the north location on Jan. 4, Ziegler said.

He said employees saw Johnson on security video pass by cash registers with merchandise in tubs and totes. All three times, employees stopped her and asked to see a receipt, and she left without the merchandise when she couldn't produce proof of purchase.

Ziegler said Johnson was accused of attempting to take $760 in merchandise on Jan. 2, consisting mostly of clothing; $480 in clothing and cosmetics on Jan. 3; and $1,182 in miscellaneous merchandise on Jan. 4.

Johnson also was arrested on warrants from Bismarck Municipal Court. According to court documents, Municipal Judge William Severin sentenced her to two days in jail for misdemeanor theft of property. She also faces a Feb. 2 trial on a theft of services charge in municipal court.

(Reach reporter Jenny Michael at 250-8225 or jenny.michael@;bismarcktribune.com.)