| Probable cause affidavit: |
SUBMITTED BY: CRIDLAND, TODD 0277 (AR14-11306) any person who engages in a scheme to defraud and obtains PROPERTY thereby is GUILTY of organized fraud punishable as follows, the AMOUNT of PROPERTY obtained has a aggregate value of $20,000.00 or less, the VIOLATOR is guilty of a felony in the third degree, in violation of FLORIDA state statue 817.034(4)(a)(3). ON 072414, AT APPROXIMATELY 1926 HOURS, I WAS DISPATCHED TO the WALMART LOCATED AT 1936 NORTH LECANTO HIGHWAY, IN REFERENCE TO A FRAUD THAT JUST OCCURRED. UPON MY ARRIVAL, I MADE CONTACT WITH the COMPLAINANT/LOSS PREVENTION OFFICER, MR PATRICK HENRY. THE COMPLAINANT ADVISED THAT ON 072414, HE OBSERVED A WHITE MALE LATER TO BE INDENTIFIED AS THE DEFENDANT, MR ROBERT EDWARD THOMAS IV, DISPLAYING SUSPICIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE CUSTOMER SERVICE DESK. THE DEFENDANT WAS RETURNING A WATERPROOF PHONE CASE FROM THE SPORTING GOODS DEPARTMENT. UPON REVIEWING THE CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISION FOOTAGE, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE DEFENDANT TOOK THE PHONE CASE FROM THE DISPLAY AND EXITED THE STORE TO COME BACK IN AND DO A FRAUDULENT RETURN FOR THAT ITEM. THE DEFENDANT RECEIVED A $22.22 WALMART STORE CREDIT CARD FOR THE PHONE CASE, TO WHICH HE SIGNED HIS NAME ON THE RECEIPT. THE DEFENDANT THEN WENT AND PURCHASED TWO PACKAGES OF CIGARETTE AND A TOBACCO CHEW FOR $14.63 CENTS ON THE walmart store credit CARD. THE DEFENDANT THEN WENT AND MADE ANOTHER PURCHASE TOTALING $7.28, AND THEN PROCEEDED TO THE GROCERY VESTIBULE WHERE THE COMPLAINANT AND another LOSS PREVENTION OFFICER, MR BRIAN ELAM, IDENTIFIED themselves. THE DEFENDANT TRIED TO RUN BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO REDIRECT HIM INTO THE LOSS PREVENTION OFFICE. AT THAT TIME LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS CALLED. the COMPLAINANT FILLED OUT A SWORN WRITTEN STATEMENT THAT WAS COLLECTED AND WILL LATER BE TURNED IN TO RECORDS. he also PROVIDED me with A COPY OF THE TWO TRANSACTIONs BY THE DEFENDANT ON THE FRAUDulent SHOPPING CARD, AS WELL AS ON THE ORIGINAL RECEIPT FOR THE WATER PROOF PHONE CASE WITH THE DEFENDANTâS SIGNATURE ON IT. AT THAT TIME I MADE CONTACT WITH THE DEFENDANT, WHO WAS IDENTIFIED BY HIS FLORIDA IDENTIFICATION. CARD. i THEN READ THE DEFENDANT MIRANDA RIGHTS VIA PREPRINTED AGENCY CARD AND he stated that he did want to talk with me. the DEFENDANT ADVISED THAT IT WAS ALL HIS IDEA BECAUSE HE NEEDED GAS MONEY, TO GO IN THE STORE AND TRY TO RETURN AN ITEM FOR CASH. the DEFENDANT sTATED THAT WHEN HE RECEIVED THE STORE CREDIT CARD INSTEAD OF CASH, HE WENT BACK INTO THE STORE TO ATTEMPT TO PURCHASE SOME ITEMS INSTEAD. THE DEFENDANT STATED THAT HE MADE A MISTAKE AND WAS SORRY THE DEFENDANT WAS PLACED UNDER ARREST, HANDCUFFED, (DOUBLE LOCKED) AND TRANSPORTED TO THE CITRUS COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY FOR BOOKING AND PROCESSING, where THE DEFENDANT'S BOND WAS SET AT $5,000.00, PER THE BOND SCHEDULE. A COPY OF THE RECEIPT AND STATEMENT WERE TURNED INTO RECORDS AND THE ORIGINAL RECEIPT WAS TURNED IN EVIDENCE. |
