| Probable cause affidavit: |
SUBMITTED BY: LUDLOW, CHRISTOPHER 0214 (AR10114772) DID UNLAWFULLY AND KNOWINGLY TAKE, OBTAIN OR USE OR ENDEAVOR TO TAKE, OBTAIN OR USE THE PROPERTY OF SWEETBAY GROCERY STORE, TO WIT: THE DEFENDANT DID CARRY AWAY THE SAID MERCHANDISE OF ONE THREE PACK OF TRIDENT GUM, ONE BAG OF MINIATURE HERSHEY CANDIES, AND TWO SMALL BOTTLES OF WINE , WITH INTENT TO TEMPORARILY OR PERMANENTLY DEPRIVE THE MERCHANT OF THE POSSESSION, USE, BENEFIT, OR FULL RETAIL VALUE OF SAID PROPERTY, SAID PROPERTY BEING OF A VALUE OF LESS THAN $300.00, IN VIOLATION OF FLORIDA STATE STATUTES 812.014(3)(A). ON 051110, I RESPONDED TO 1651 SE US HIGHWAY 19 WHICH IS THE SWEETBAY SUPERMARKET IN CRYSTAL RIVER, IN REFERENCE TO A RETAIL THEFT THAT HAD JUST OCCURRED. UPON ARRIVAL, I MADE CONTACT WITH LOSS PREVENTION OFFICER/WITNESS, MR BARRY HUNT. HE ADVISED ON 051110 AT 1738 HOURS HE OBSERVED A WHITE FEMALE DRESSED IN BLACK PANTS AND A BLACK SHIRT ENTER THE STORE. HE ADVISED HE OBSERVED THIS WHITE FEMALE WALK DOWN SEVERAL DIFFERENT AISLES AND EVENTUALLY COLLECT ONE BAG OF HERSHEY'S MINIATURE CANDIES, ONE THREE PACK OF TRIDENT GUM, ONE SMALL BOTTLE OF PINOT GRIGIO WINE, AND ONE SMALL BOTTLE OF CHARDONNAY WINE. HE ADVISED HE THEN OBSERVED THE FEMALE PLACE THEM INTO A BLACK PURSE SHE WAS CARRYING UPON ENTERING THE STORE. HE ADVISED AT APPROXIMATELY 1744 HOURS, HE OBSERVED THIS WHITE FEMALE EXIT THE SOUTHERN MOST ENTRANCE OF THE STORE WITHOUT PAYING FOR THE ABOVE DESCRIBED ITEMS. HE ADVISED HE THEN CONFRONTED THE WHITE FEMALE, LATER IDENTIFIED AS DEFENDANT, JULIE VALENTY, JUST OUTSIDE THE DOORS. AT THAT TIME HE IDENTIFIED HIMSELF AND REQUESTED THAT THE DEFENDANT WALK BACK INTO THE STORE. HE ADVISED THAT THE DEFENDANT REFUSED TO RETURN INSIDE THE STORE AND ATTEMPTED TO WALK AWAY. AT THAT TIME OFFICER HUNT GRABBED A STRAP OF THE BLACK PURSE SHE WAS CARRYING AND STATED THAT HE WANTED THE PRODUCTS OF SWEETBAY BACK BEFORE SHE LEFT. HE ADVISED THAT THE DEFENDANT CONTINUED TO PULL ON HER PURSE AND EVENTUALLY LET THE PURSE GO FROM AROUND HER SHOULDER. HE ADVISED SHE THEN REACHED IN AND GRABBED WHAT HE DESCRIBED AS A CHECKBOOK OUT OF THE PURSE BEFORE QUICKLY WALKING TO HER VEHICLE. HE ADVISED THAT HE DID NOT FOLLOW THE DEFENDANT TO HER VEHICLE, HOWEVER, HE DID OBSERVE THE DEFENDANT BEND HER FLORIDA LICENSE PLATE UPWARD SO THAT THE TAG COULD NOT BE OBSERVED. HE DESCRIBED THE VEHICLE AS A SMALL TWO DOOR WHICH WAS WHITE IN COLOR. HE ADVISED THAT UPON INSPECTION OF THE PURSE THAT THE DEFENDANT LEFT BEHIND HE LOCATED THE STOLEN ITEMS IN ADDITION TO A PAWN RECEIPT WHICH INDICATED THE NAME OF THE DEFENDANT ALONG WITH HER ADDRESS AND DATE OF BIRTH. HE ALSO LOCATED INSIDE THE PURSE A TIME CLOCK TICKET FOR BURGER KING RESTAURANT IN CRYSTAL RIVER. I VIEWED THE VIDEO SURVEILLANCE FROM THIS INCIDENT AND CLEARLY OBSERVED THE DEFENDANT ENTER THE STORE, PLACE THE ITEMS IN HER PURSE AND THEN EXIT THE STORE WITHOUT PAYING FOR THE ITEMS. DURING THIS TIME, DEPUTY POLLARD HAD RESPONDED TO THE BURGER KING RESTAURANT AND MADE CONTACT WITH THE DEFENDANT, JULIE VALENTY. DEPUTY POLLARD ADVISED THAT HE DISCOVERED THAT THE DEFENDANT HAD TAKEN A BREAK FROM HER EMPLOYMENT AT BURGER KING BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 1718 WHEN SHE CLOCKED OUT AND 1747 HOURS WHEN SHE CLOCKED BACK IN. THESE HOURS WERE CONSISTENT WITH THE TIME FRAME IN WHICH THE RETAIL THEFT OCCURRED. DEPUTY POLLARD ALSO ADVISED THAT THE DEFENDANT WAS WEARING BLACK PANTS AND A BLACK SHIRT WHICH IS THE BURGER KING UNIFORM. I TRANSPORTED OFFICER HUNT TO THE BURGER KING RESTAURANT WHERE HE THEN POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED THE DEFENDANT AS THE INDIVIDUAL WHO COMMITTED THE RETAIL THEFT. DEPUTY POLLARD THEN PLACED THE DEFENDANT IN HANDCUFFS (DOUBLE LOCKED) BEHIND HER BACK. I THEN MADE CONTACT WITH THE DEFENDANT AND READ HER MIRANDA VIA PRE- PRINTED CARD. SHE INDICATED THAT SHE WOULD FREELY AND VOLUNTARILY SPEAK WITH ME. SHE ADVISED THAT ON 051110 SHE HAD A FRIEND WHO SHE PROVIDED VERY LITTLE INFORMATION ABOUT SHOW UP AT BURGER KING SHORTLY AFTER 1600 HOURS. SHE ADVISED THAT THE UNIDENTIFIED WHITE FEMALE FRIEND WAITED OUTSIDE FOR HER TO TAKE HER BREAK. SHE ADVISED THAT SHE GAVE THE UNIDENTIFIED WHITE FEMALE MONEY TO GO PURCHASE PILLS AND ALLOWED HER TO TAKE HER VEHICLE AS WELL AS HER BLACK PURSE. SHE ADVISED THAT THE WHITE FEMALE RETURNED A SHORT TIME LATER WITH HER VEHICLE. THE DEFENDANT STATED THAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN THE UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE FRIEND WHO COMMITTED THE RETAIL THEFT. THE DEFENDANT ALLOWED DEPUTY POLLARD TO CONDUCT A SEARCH OF THE INSIDE OF HER VEHICLE WHERE HE DISCOVERED A SMALL BLUE CHECKBOOK TYPE PURSE CONTAINING THE DEFENDANT'S DRIVER'S LICENSE ALONG WITH OTHER ITEMS. I THEN INFORMED JULIE OF THE VIDEO SURVEILLANCE THAT WAS OBTAINED FROM SWEETBAY CLEARLY SHOWING HER ENTERING AND EXITING THE SWEETBAY STORE WITH THE ITEMS IN ADDITION TO THE DETAILED INFORMATION THAT WAS PROVIDED BY THE OFFICER HUNT. THE DEFENDANT THEN PLACED HER HEAD DOWN, HER EYES BEGAN TO WATER, AND SHE SPONTANEOUSLY STATED, "YOU ARE RIGHT, I WAS SCARED." SHE THEN INDICATED THAT SHE WENT TO THE SWEET BAY GROCERY STORE WHILE ON HER BREAK AND PLACED THE LISTED ITEMS IN HER PURSE AND ATTEMPTED TO LEAVE THE STORE WITHOUT PAYING FOR THEM. SHE ADVISED THAT HER INTENTION WAS TO ONLY GO IN AND BUY SOME CANDY AND GUM, HOWEVER, WHEN SHE GOT INSIDE THE STORE SHE COLLECTED THE OTHER ITEMS AND DECIDED NOT TO PAY FOR THEM. SHE WAS THEN PLACED UNDER ARREST AND TRANSPORTED TO THE CITRUS COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY FOR BOOKING AND PROCESSING WHERE SHE WAS CHARGED WITH ONE COUNT OF RETAIL THEFT AND HER BOND WAS SET AT $500.00 PER THE BOND SCHEDULE. WHILE EN ROUTE TO THE DETENTION FACILITY THE DEFENDANT STATED, "THE BAD PART ABOUT THIS IS THAT I HAD MONEY". *NOT-EXEMPT* |
