A former Alabama Walmart employee is facing dozens of criminal charges after authorities say she set multiple fires inside the Leeds store, causing more than $100,000 in damages.

Jayla Fain, 26, of Pell City is charged with two counts of first-degree arson, one count each of third-degree theft of property and first-degree criminal mischief and 32 counts of reckless endangerment, said Leeds Police Chief Paul Irwin.

Fain is believed to have set three fires to distract from her shoplifting, police said.

Officers responded to the store at 8551 Whitfield Avenue just before 8 p.m. Saturday.

One of the fires was set in ladies’ restroom and the other two were in the store’s women’s lingerie department.

“This caused a dangerous scene inside of this opened business that was occupied by many employees and customers,’’ Irwin said. “This caused great alarm to the employees and customers.”

Irwin said there was more than $100,000 in damage to the store and merchandise.

Leeds police and the Leeds Fire Department responded to the scene and immediately launched an investigation.

The store was forced to close, but reopened Sunday afternoon.

Fain was taken into custody o Sunday at Ziegler Road and Highway 119 in Leeds.

Detectives recovered more than $500 in stolen merchandise from Walmart.

Authorities said she had loaded up a store cart with stolen items and left the store while everyone was distracted by the fires.

Irwin said investigators also recovered other evidence related to the crimes.

The Alabama State Fire Marshal’s Office, Walmart Global Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Moody police assisted in the investigation.

Irwin said he is proud of the officers and investigators who worked the case.

“They responded to the scene and collected evidence and followed up the next day,’’ he said. “They did an outstanding job in locating a suspect and her location.”

“This is further proof that you cannot get away with committing crime,’’ Irwin said, “when law enforcement utilizes the technology and resources together to remove dangerous people from our communities.”