| Probable cause affidavit: |
SUBMITTED BY: MARSHALL, EVAN 1336 (AR14-13093) DID UNLAWFULLY AND KNOWINGLY OBTAIN OR USE, OR ENDEAVOR TO OBTAIN OR USE THE PROPERTY OF THE VICTIM, WAL MART, TO WIT: A PAIR OF DICKIE WORK BOOTS, SAID PROPERTY BEING OF A VALUE OF $74.98 WITH THE INTENT TO EITHER TEMPORARILY OR PERMANENTLY DEPRIVE THE VICTIM OF A RIGHT TO THE PROPERTY OR A BENEFIT THEREOF, OR DID APPROPRIATE THE SAID PROPERTY TO HIS OWN USE OR THE USE OF ANY PERSON NOT ENTITLED THERETO, IN VIOLATION OF FLORIDA STATE STATUTE 812.014(3)(a). ON 120914, I WAS DISPATCHED TO 2461 EAST GULF TO LAKE HIGHWAY (WAL MART SUPERCENTER), IN INVERNESS, IN REFERENCE TO A THEFT. UPON ARRIVAL, I SPOKE WITH THE COMPLAINANT/LOSS PREVENTION OFFICER, MR JOSEPH COMPOSTELLA, WHO STATED THAT THE DEFENDANT, MR JOSEPH ALMEDIA, HAD STOLEN A PAIR OF WORK BOOTS FROM WAL MART. THE COMPLAINANT ADVISED THAT AT 1724 HOURS, THE DEFENDANT ENTERED THE STORE AND WALKED STRAIGHT TO THE ELECTRONICS DEPARTMENT, WHERE HE PURCHASED A PHONE MINUTES CARD AT 1725 HOURS. THE COMPLAINANT ADVISED THAT THE DEFENDANT THEN WENT TO THE MENâS SHOE DEPARTMENT, WHERE HE SELECTED A PAIR OF SIZE TEN, MENâS DICKIE, BRAWN WORK BOOTS, PRICED AT $74.98 BEFORE TAXES, AT 1728 HOURS. THE COMPLAINANT STATED THAT THE DEFENDANT PUT THE NEW DICKIE WORK BOOTS ON HIS FEET AND PLACED AN OLD PAIR OF DIRTY, BLACK BOOTS, WHICH HE ENTERED THE STORE WEARING, BACK IN THE BOX AND THEN PLACED THE BOX BACK ON THE SHELF AT 1729 HOURS. THE COMPLAINANT ADVISED THAT THE DEFENDANT PASSED ALL POINTS OF SALE, WITH THE UNPAID FOR BOOTS ON HIS FEET, AND ATTEMPTED TO WALK OUT THE FRONT DOOR AT 1731 HOURS. THE COMPLAINANT STATED HE STOPPED THE DEFENDANT IN THE VESTIBULE AND ASKED HIM IF HE HAD STOLEN THE BOOTS, WHICH WERE ON HIS FEET. THE COMPLAINANT ADVISED THAT THE DEFENDANT WAS VERY COOPERATIVE AND STATED THAT HE DID STEAL THE BOOTS, WHICH WERE ON HIS FEET, AND HE NEEDED THEM FOR WORK, BUT HE HAD NO MONEY TO PAY FOR THEM. THE COMPLAINANT STATED THAT HE DETAINED THE DEFENDANT IN THE LOSS PREVENTION OFFICE UNTIL I ARRIVED. I OBSERVED THE VIDEO SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE AND CONFIRMED THAT THE STATEMENTS THE COMPLAINANT HAD TOLD ME WERE TRUE. AT 1800 HOURS, I READ THE DEFENDANT HIS MIRANDA RIGHTS, TO WHICH HE STATED HE UNDERSTOOD HIS RIGHTS AND HE WISHED TO SPEAK TO ME. THE DEFENDANT STATED THAT HE ENTERED THE STORE, BOUGHT THE PHONE CARD FROM THE ELECTRONICS DEPARTMENT, AND THEN WENT TO THE MENâS SHOE DEPARTMENT. THE DEFENDANT STATED THAT HE TOOK THE BOOTS THAT HE HAD ENTERED THE STORE WEARING OFF HIS FEET AND PUT THE NEW PAIR OF DICKIE BOOTS ON. THE DEFENDANT STATED THAT HE THEN PLACED HIS OLD BOOTS IN THE BOX AND BACK ON THE SHELF. THE DEFENDANT STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO LEAVE THE STORE WITH THE STOLEN BOOTS ON HIS FEET WHEN HE WAS STOPPED BY THE COMPLAINANT. THE DEFENDANT STATED THAT HE WAS SORRY FOR WHAT HE HAD DONE AND HE ONLY DID IT BECAUSE HIS FEET HURT AT WORK, BUT HE HAD NO MONEY TO BUY NEW BOOTS. THE DEFENDANT STATED THAT HE ARRIVED AT WAL MART IN A RED PICK UP TRUCK WITH A CO-WORKER, MR TRAVIS WESTERMAN, WHO HAD NO IDEA THAT HE WAS GOING TO STEAL BOOTS. THE DEFENDANT STATED THAT HE ASKED MR WESTERMAN TO STOP BY WAL MART ON THE WAY HOME FROM WORK IN ORDER FOR HIM TO PURCHASE A PHONE CARD, BUT THEY DID NOT PLAN TO STEAL ANYTHING. DEPUTY PHILLIPS (0482) SPOKE WITH MR WESTERMAN, WHO STATED THAT HE HAD NO IDEA OF THE THEFT, AND THAT HIS CO-WORKER/DEFENDANT WAS NOT VERY SMART AND THAT HE WAS NOT SURPRISED. THE DEFENDANT WAS HANDCUFFED, (DOUBLE LOCKED) BEHIND HIS BACK, SECURED IN MY PATROL VEHICLE, AND TRANSPORTED TO THE CITRUS COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY FOR BOOKING AND PROCESSING. THE DEFENDANTâS BOND WAS SET AT $500.00, PER THE BOND SCHEDULE. A RECEIPT OF THE STOLEN MERCHANDISE AND A WRITTEN STATEMENT WERE COLLECTED FROM THE COMPLAINANT AND SUBMITTED TO RECORDS. THE VIDEO SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE WAS COLLECTED AND TURNED IN TO EVIDENCE. |
