A homeless woman in Leesburg was arrested for retail theft after leaving a Circle K with about $1,500 worth of stolen merchandise.
Police responded to a theft at Circle K, located at 10030 County Road 44, on Tuesday, according to an arrest report from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Upon arrival, the officer made contact with the store clerk. She advised that at 4 a.m. that morning, a man and a woman, later identified as 31-year-old Anna Ree Butler, entered the store, the report said.
The clerk stated that Butler spent about an hour in the store filling her bags with various products. About 50 minutes later, Butler entered the back office to fill her bags with multiple cartons of various cigarette brands. The estimated cost of the items stolen was about $1,500, the report said.
Using video footage from the incident, a deputy was able to identify Butler from previous contact and jail photo tattoos. More deputies then canvased the area for the vehicle Butler was in at the time of the incident, the report said.
Butler was eventually located at 11626 Fairmont in Leesburg. She admitted to stealing the items but claimed she was given permission to do so by the store clerk who was on shift at the time. She also stated she was friends with that clerk. During this conversation, the deputy found an unauthorized prescription of Gabapentin in Butler’s possession, the report said.
The Alabama native was arrested and charged with retail theft property stolen valued 300 or more, burglary of an unoccupied dwelling (unarmed no battery or assault) and possession of a controlled substance without prescription (Gabapentin). She was transported to the Lake County Jail with bond set at $17,500.