A Leesburg man was arrested early Wednesday morning after allegedly stealing from a Wawa in Mount Dora.
Mount Dora police had been contacted by Wawa personnel regarding a theft that morning. Employees showed the officers a surveillance video in which a man, later identified as 38-year-old Justin MacArthur, accompanied by a woman, entered the store. MacArthur went to the front of the store and got some napkins while the woman went into the restroom. MacArthur left the store through the rear entrance. The woman came out of the restroom and was videoed putting items in her purse, including something from a refrigerated section. The surveillance revealed she placed two Combos chips bags, one Welches fruit snacks and a Slim Jim into her purse. She then joined MacArthur and left the premises on bicycles heading in a northeastern direction.
An officer made contact with MacArthur at the intersection of Eudora Road and U.S. Hwy. 441. When the officer got out of his patrol car MacArthur spontaneously said, “I didn’t steal anything,” according to the arrest report. When his bike bag was searched, two Combo chip bags, a Welches fruit snack box and a tuna fish sandwich from the refrigerated area of the store were found. The officers were unable to find the woman.
MacArthur was arrested and booked at the Lake County Jail on a charge of petit theft which was enhanced to a third degree felony as he had two previous theft convictions. Bond was set at $2,000.
