Freda Warfield with KDOR said the department conducted a “till tap” at B&J Country Mart and BP gasoline station, 319 Ridge St. Till tap is a method in which Revenue officials seize money from a business’ cash registers and safe to pay toward the unpaid taxes.

Warfield said a portion of the back taxes was retrieved but she could not release the exact amount of money collected Tuesday because of confidentiality laws.

The warrant was filed at 8:10 a.m. Tuesday in Leavenworth County District Court. KDOR was seeking delinquent sales taxes from December 2009 through April 2010.

“It’s not something frequently done,” Warfield said about the till tap, noting she was not sure when the state previously conducted such an exercise. “We do that over a complete seizure or closing down a complete business.”

She stressed that Revenue officials themselves did not close the grocery store or nearby convenience store during the procedure. She said normally two to three agents are involved in a till tap, though she did not have an official number of agents on hand Tuesday. She also didn’t have information about whether employees or customers were present at the time Revenue officials issued the warrant.

Instead of conducting till taps, Warfield said the department would prefer having a taxpayer enter into a repayment program.

In general terms, Warfield said a business that undergoes a till tap would next get in touch with the Department of Revenue to resolve delinquencies and normally a pay plan is established.

Owner Jim Gambrill could not be reached for comment Tuesday.