(Image credit: Somerset County Jail)

Robert Clifford Smith III didn't know that he was being watched by a surveillance camera and a Lowe's loss prevention officer when he allegedly took a toilet from the home improvement store's aisles and returned it in exchange for $677.34 in gift cards.

Smith, 32, of Windber in western Pennsylvania, was allegedly caught on tape exchanging the toilet and leaving the store with the gift cards on Aug. 28.

State trooper Matthew Jones said the loss prevention officer had known that this was an "ongoing issue" and had called Jones this week to arrest the suspect.

Smith was arraigned on Tuesday and taken to Somerset County Jail when he could not meet his $30,000 bail, the Tribune Democrat in Johnston, Pa. first reported.

"He has done this before," Jones said. "There are a lot more charges coming at some point but not by our department."

Jones said the store identified Smith through his driver's license when he returned the item.

Smith does not yet have an attorney, a spokesman for the Somerset County Jail said.

Lowe's did not immediately return a request for comment.