A man from Tampa was arrested for shoplifting from the Punta Gorda Walmart Super Center. He is suspected of taking close to $1,000 of flash drives and other items.
An employee said that he had seen the man put many items, including Gillette razor cartridges, in a shopping cart. While moving through the store, the employee contended, the man took the items from the cart and placed them underneath his clothing.
Law enforcement received a call from the store that day at 10 a.m. The caller informed the sheriff’s office that an asset-protection worker was chasing the man, who had removed goods from the premises without paying.
A deputy was dispatched and arrived to discover the employee following a 55-year-old man as they moved through the parking lot of a nearby gas station. The deputy spoke to the man and placed him under arrest. Deputies searched him and discovered not only the Gillette cartridges, but also a couple of bottles of Advil and 18 packages of USB cards and SanDisk flash drives. The value of the merchandise was $966.66.
The man faces charges of Retail Grand Theft as well as Resisting a Merchant. Bond was set at $15,000, and the man was released from custody.
While store detectives and law enforcement personnel undoubtedly try their best to identify legitimate incidents of shoplifting, they are by no means perfect. Misunderstandings and mistaken identity may be causes for someone to be suspected of a crime that he or she did not commit. Many defendants facing criminal charges may try to protect their rights by enlisting the support of a qualified criminal defense lawyer.
Source: NBC 2, “Tampa man arrested for shoplifting flash drives”, January 06, 2014