NORTH BAY, Ont. - A former convenience store employee in North Bay, Ont., is facing theft and fraud charges for allegedly redeeming two customers' scratch-and-win lottery tickets.

Sgt. Chris Williams of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario's Investigation and Support Bureau says these are the first such charges the unit has laid since its inception Jan. 1.

The unit, comprised of provincial police officers, investigates claims of insider lottery wins.

In this case, police say two customers bought scratch-and-win tickets at a convenience store in North Bay.

But when they went to redeem them, the tickets were already registered as having been paid out.

Tyler Stewart, 23, who is no longer an employee of the convenience store, was charged with two counts each of theft under $5,000 and fraud under $5,000.