A Leesburg woman was arrested for theft after putting four bottles of lotion in her personal bag and trying to leave Walmart without paying.
An officer responded to Walmart, located at 2501 Citrus Blvd., regarding a retail theft at 3:39 p.m. Monday, Jan. 27, according to an arrest report from the Leesburg Police Department. Dispatch advised that an asset protection associate stated there was a woman, later identified as 46-year-old Jennifer Janine Brown, inside the store putting items in her personal bag. The officer later met her outside the general merchandise door of the store.
The associate explained that while performing his routine duties, he saw Brown picking out merchandise from inside the business and putting them in her bag. She proceeded to the pharmacy section where she selected a bottle of lotion and put it in her bag. She tried to leave the store without paying for any of the items, but she was stopped by an associate in the garden section, the report said.
Brown walked back through the store toward self-checkout. While there, she paid for a bag of oranges and diapers. She did not pay for four Dove lotions valued at $4 each. She then walked out of the store, and the associate contacted the LPD, the report said.
Brown did not want to speak with the officer but asked if she would be receiving a misdemeanor citation for the offense, the report said. When she was told she would not be taken to Lake County Jail, she stated, “I guess they not giving tickets for theft anymore.”
The officer reviewed surveillance footage of the incident which confirmed the associate’s story. The recovered items were turned over to Walmart, the report said.
A criminal history check showed Brown was previously found guilty of at least two prior theft charges, including larceny petit theft in July 2005 and April 2004, the report said.
Brown was subsequently arrested on charge of retail theft (felony – two or more prior theft). The New York native was transported to Lake County Jail and released after posting $2,500 bond.