A Leesburg man was arrested for theft after filling a backpack with stolen merchandise with plans to pay for the bag as if it was empty.

Jesus Emmanuel Rivera Soto
Jesus Emmanuel Rivera Soto

An officer responded to Walmart, located at 2501 Citrus Blvd., regarding a retail theft around 11:40 a.m. Sunday, according to an arrest report from the Leesburg Police Department. 

Upon arrival, the store’s loss prevention team informed the officer of two individuals seen together within the premises, one of whom was actively concealing merchandise in a brown backpack. Loss prevention directed the officer to this suspect, later identified as 41-year-old Jesus Emmanuel Rivera Soto, near the pharmacy section, the report said. 

Rivera Soto, who was carrying a distinctive coyote brown Ozark Trail backpack, was promptly approached for further investigation. The officer instructed him to take off his backpack. Despite claiming to speak only Spanish, Rivera Soto demonstrated clear comprehension of his initial directive, the report said. 

As the officer proceeded to detain Rivera Soto by instructing him to turn around and place his hands behind his back, he passively resisted by pulling his arms away and trying to turn toward him. At that point, the officer redirected Rivera Soto to the ground and secured him in handcuffs. He was then escorted to the loss prevention office where he was identified through his Mexico ID, the report said. 

A search of Rivera Soto’s person revealed multiple unpaid items both within his pockets and the backpack. Review of CCTV footage corroborated that he had concealed merchandise in both his backpack and his pants pockets, the report said. 

The concealed items included a $9.88 Mossy Oak hat, a $21.97 Rain-X headlight restoration kit, a $7.74 scale, a $9.44 Meguiar’s car wax and two $5.98 Chemical Guys air fresheners. Notably, the Ozark Trail backpack itself, valued at $29.97, was also unpaid, bringing the total attempted theft amount to $90.96, the report said. 

At 12:25 p.m., an officer read Rivera Soto his rights in Spanish, which he acknowledged. He admitted his intention to conceal the items within the backpack, stating he planned to pay solely for the backpack as if it were empty, the report said. 

Rivera Soto was then arrested on charges of petit retail theft (less than $750) and resisting (obstructing without violence). The native of Mexico was transported to Lake County Jail and released after posting $1,500 bond.