| Probable cause affidavit: |
SUBMITTED BY: POLLARD, RANDALL 0677 (12-2268) DID UNLAWFULLY AND KNOWINGLY OBTAIN OR USE, OR ENDEAVOR TO OBTAIN OR USE THE PROPERTY OF THE VICTIM, THE WINN DIXIE IN INVERNESS, FLORIDA, TO WIT: A CASE OF 12 CANS OF NATURAL ICE BEER, SAID PROPERTY BEING OF A VALUE OF $8.99, 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 080612 I WAS RESPONDED TO 333 EAST HIGHLAND BOULEVARD (WINN DIXIE) IN INVERNESS, IN REFERENCE TO A RETAIL THEFT IN PROGRESS. WHILE EN ROUTE TO THAT LOCATION I WAS INFORMED BY DISPATCH THAT THE SUSPECT, IDENTIFIED AS A WHITE MALE WITH BLONDE HAIR AND WEARING A GRAY SHIRT AND BLUE JEAN SHORTS, HAD JUST LEFT SOUTHBOUND FROM WINN DIXIE ON A BLUE BICYCLE. WHILE STILL EN ROUTE, I RECEIVED ANOTHER UPDATE THAT THE SUSPECT HAD CROSSED US HIGHWAY 41 AND WAS CONTINUING SOUTHBOUND ON US HIGHWAY 41 HIGH IN FRONT OF THE OLD COX LUMBER AT MAIN STREET AN EAST GULF TO LAKE HIGHWAY. I OBSERVED THE INDIVIDUAL MATCHING THE DESCRIPTION PROVIDED QUICKLY PEDALING HIS BICYCLE AND CONTINUOUSLY LOOKING BEHIND HIM AS IF HE WAS PARANOID. I MADE A U-TURN ON THAT SUBJECT, AND UPON SEEING ME, HE QUICKLY TURNED IN TO MOSSY OAK MOBILE HOME PARK. AT THAT TIME I WAS ABLE TO CATCH UP WITH THE SUSPECT. UPON HIM STOPPING, I ORDERED HIM OFF OF THE BICYCLE AND ONTO THE GROUND TO DETAIN HIM FOR MY INVESTIGATIVE PURPOSES. WHILE DETAINING THE SUSPECT I DISCOVERED A CLOTH PURSE LIKE CARRYING CASE, BLACK IN COLOR CONTAINING 12 CANS OF NATURAL ICE BEERS WITH A WHITE BATHING SUIT ON TOP OF THE BEERS. AT THAT TIME I MADE CONTACT VIA TELEPHONE WITH THE COMPLAINANT, MR CHAD HODGE, WHO IS A WINN DIXIE EMPLOYEE. I ASKED CHAD WHAT THE SUSPECT HAD TAKEN FROM THE STORE AT WHICH TIME HE STATED THE SUSPECT HAD REMOVED 12 CANS OF NATURAL ICE BEERS FROM A 12 PACK CONTAINER AND PLACED THEM IN TO A BACKPACK LIKE CARRYING CASE. I TRANSPORTED THE SUSPECT, NOW IDENTIFIED AS MR ROBERT JOHN HUNSINGER, TO THE WINN DIXIE STORE. UPON ARRIVAL AT THE STORE I MET WITH MR STEVEN SEVINO (WITNESS) AND THE COMPLAINANT CHAD HODGE. THE COMPLAINANT ADVISED THAT HE HAD RECEIVED SEVERAL COMPLAINANTS FROM CUSTOMERS IN THE STORE DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE SUSPECT WAS ON HIS CELLULAR TELEPHONE AND WAS CURSING LOUDLY WHERE OTHER CUSTOMERS COULD HEAR IT. CHAD ADVISED THAT WHEN HE WENT TO FIND THE SUSPECT, AND WHILE WALKING DOWN THE BEER AISLE, HE OBSERVED THE SUSPECT GRAB A CASE OF NATURAL ICE BEER AND HEAD DOWN THE AISLE TOWARD THE BATHROOM OF THE ESTABLISHMENT. HE STATED THAT THE BACKPACK LIKE ITEM THAT THE SUSPECT HAD WITH HIM WAS EMPTY WHEN HE WALKED IN TO THE BATHROOM AND THE BEER WAS STILL IN HIS OTHER HAND. THE CO- MANAGER OF THE STORE, STEVEN SEVINO, (WITNESS) FOLLOWED THE SUSPECT IN TO THE RESTROOM AND LISTENED TO WHAT THE SUSPECT WAS DOING INSIDE THE STALL. STEVEN ADVISED THAT HE COULD HEAR THE SUSPECT REMOVE THE BEER CANS FROM THE CASE AND PLACED THE EMPTY CARDBOARD CARRYING CONTAINER UNDER THE LINER OF THE GARBAGE CAN. HE THEN STATED HE WATCHED THE SUSPECT EXIT THE RESTROOM AND HIS BACKPACK WAS NOW BULGING. STEVEN STATED THAT YOU COULD ALSO SEE THE OUTLINE OF THE BEER CANS IN THE BACKPACK. STEVEN THEN OBSERVED THE SUSPECT PASS ALL MEANS OF PAYING FOR THE ITEMS AND ATTEMPT TO EXIT THE STORE. AT THAT TIME STEVEN CONFRONTED THE SUSPECT ABOUT NOT PAYING FOR THE NATURAL ICE BEER AT WHICH TIME THE SUSPECT PUSHED HIM OUT OF THE WAY AFTER THEY HAD WORDS. STEVEN STATED THE SUSPECT THEN JUMPED ON A BLUE BICYCLE AND HEADED TOWARD US HIGHWAY 41. I DID FIND THE EMPTY CARDBOARD CASE WITH ALL THE BEER MISSING FROM IT. I ALSO FOUND THE SUSPECTâS BACKPACK LIKE CARRYING CASE WHERE INSIDE I FOUND 12 CANS OF NATURAL ICE BEERS WHICH WERE ALL STILL COLD TO THE TOUCH. THE BOX WAS ALSO STILL COLD TO THE TOUCH. THE DEFENDANT ASKED THIS DEPUTY WHAT HE WAS BEING CHARGED WITH AT WHICH TIME I INFORMED HIM RETAIL PETIT THEFT AND POSSIBLY BATTERY. THE DEFENDANT THEN SPONTANEOUSLY UTTERED, âIâLL TAKE THE THEFT CHARGE BUT I DIDNâT HIT ANYBODYâ. I OBTAINED TWO SWORN WRITTEN STATEMENTS FROM THE COMPLAINANT, CHAD HODGE, AND FROM THE WITNESS, STEVEN SAVINO, WHICH WILL BE PLACED IN TO RECORDS. THE TOTAL VALUE FOR THE STOLEN NATURAL ICE BEER WAS APPROXIMATELY $8.99. THE DEFENDANT WAS THEN TRANSPORTED TO THE CITRUS COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY FOR BOOKING AND PROCESSING WHERE HIS BOND WAS SET AT $250.00 PER THE BOND SCHEDULE. |
