| Probable cause affidavit: |
SUBMITTED BY: RAMOS, ROBALDO 0515 (AR12-2949) (12-173776) (DID UNLAWFULLY AND KNOWINGLY TAKE, OBTAIN OR USE OR ENDEAVOR TO TAKE, OBTAIN OR USE THE PROPERTY OF INVERNESS WALMART, TO WIT: 43 MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS CARRYING AWAY THE SAID MERCHANDISE, WITH INTENT TO TEMPORARILY OR PERMANENTLY DEPRIVE, A MERCHANT, OF THE POSSESSION, USE, BENEFIT, OR FULL RETAIL VALUE OF SAID PROPERTY, SAID PROPERTY BEING OF A VALUE OF $300.00 OR MORE, IN VIOLATION OF FLORIDA STATE STATUTE 812.015(8). ON 092912, I WAS DISPATCHED TO WALMART LOCATED AT 2461 EAST GULF TO LAKE HIGHWAY IN INVERNESS, IN REFERENCE TO A SHOPLIFTER IN CUSTODY. UPON ARRIVAL, I MADE CONTACT WITH THE LOSS PREVENTION OFFICER, MR JOSEPH COMPOSTELLA, WHO PROVIDED A WRITTEN STATEMENT AND ADVISED THAT WHILE HE WAS CONDUCTING FLOOR SURVEILLANCE HE OBSERVED THE DEFENDANT, LATER IDENTIFIED AS MS BARBARA KANE, WALKING THROUGH THE STORE ACTING SUSPICIOUS. HE THEN OBSERVED THE DEFENDANT PLACING THE ITEMS IN HER SHOPPING CART INTO THE REUSABLE WALMART SHOPPING AND FROZEN FOOD BAGS. AFTER CONCEALING THE ITEMS THAT SHE SELECTED, SHE THEN EXITED THE STORE, PASSING ALL POINTS OF SALE AND MAKING NO ATTEMPT TO PAY. MR COMPOSTELLA THEN STOPPED HER, IDENTIFIED HIMSELF AS A LOSS PREVENTION OFFICER AND ESCORTED HER TO THE LOSS PREVENTION OFFICE. HE THEN CONTACTED THE CITRUS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND WAITED FOR MY ARRIVAL. THE COMPLAINANT PROVIDED ME WITH A STORE RECEIPT OF THE 43 ITEMS THAT THE DEFENDANT HAD TAKEN WITH THE TOTAL VALUE BEING $362.23. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT ALL THE ITEMS HAD BEEN RETURNED TO THE STORE PRIOR TO MY ARRIVAL. I THEN MADE CONTACT WITH THE DEFENDANT AND READ HER MIRANDA WARNING PER PRE-PRINTED CARD, WHICH SHE UNDERSTOOD AND WAIVED HER RIGHTS. I ASKED THE DEFENDANT WHAT HAPPENED AND SHE STATED THAT SHE CAME TO WALMART TO BUY ICE AND WHILE IN THE STORE SHE STARTED TO THINK ABOUT THE HOLIDAYS AND STARTED TO GRAB ITEMS THAT SHE NEEDED FOR HER RESIDENCE. THESE ITEMS RANGED FROM LINENS TO CLEANING SUPPLIES, TOILETRIES, ETC. AFTER COLLECTING THE ITEMS, SHE THEN CONCEALED THEM IN REUSABLE WALMART SHOPPING AND FREEZER BAGS AND WALKED OUT OF THE STORE, MAKING NO ATTEMPT TO PAY FOR THE ITEMS UNTIL SHE GOT STOPPED. I THEN ASKED IF THIS WAS HER FIRST TIME BE ARRESTED FOR THIS CRIME AND SHE ADVISED IT WAS HER SECOND TIME. THE DEFENDANT STATED THAT SHE IS ON A FIXED INCOME AND DOES NOT HAVE THE MONEY FOR THESE ITEMS. THE DEFENDANT WAS PLACED UNDER ARREST FOR RETAIL THEFT WITH THE VALUE OF $300.00 OR MORE. SHE WAS THEN HANDCUFFED, (DOUBLE LOCKED), BEHIND HER BACK, SEARCHED, SECURED IN THE REAR OF MY PATROL VEHICLE AND TRANSPORTED TO THE CITRUS COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY FOR BOOKING AND PROCESSING. THE DEFENDANTâS BOND WAS SET AT $2,000.00 PER BOND SCHEDULE. A COPY OF THE STORE RECEIPT, ALONG WITH THE COMPLAINANTâS SWORN WRITTEN STATEMENT WERE TURNED INTO RECORDS. |
