A Tavares woman was arrested for theft when she was tracked down at a Circle K in a vehicle stolen from a Publix store in Leesburg.
An officer responded to Palm Plaza, located at 717 N. 14th St., regarding a suspicious person loitering in the parking lot before leaving in a vehicle they did not come in around 4:50 p.m. March 4, according to an arrest report from the Leesburg Police Department. Dispatch advised that a witness saw a woman, later identified as 53-year-old Marcy Dee Lamothe, acting in a strange manner, approaching individuals and vehicles in the parking lot while talking to herself.
The vehicle left just before the officer got there. Upon his arrival, it was unknown if the vehicle was stolen or not until the female victim approached him and advised that she could not find her vehicle. He explained the situation, and the witness came back to the scene to give a statement, the report said.
The witness stated she saw Lamothe loitering in the parking lot, approaching people and vehicles while talking to herself and acting erratic, possibly under the influence of narcotics. Lamothe then approached the victim’s vehicle, a dark red Nissan Altima. She rubbed all over it, walked around it and got into the driver’s seat, the report said.
Lamothe proceeded to drive out of the parking lot headed southbound on North 14th Street around 4:45 p.m. Because of her mannerisms, the victim believed she stole the vehicle. The witness gave a description of her to include a purse with diamond-like studs all over, the report said.
The witness also followed the vehicle and took photos of it, capturing the license plate number. She saw Lamothe immediately start going through the center console while in the vehicle, as well, the report said.
Following the interview with the witness, the officer spoke with the victim. She was able to confirm the vehicle she had taken photos of was hers. She left the vehicle running, unlocked with the keys in it while she went into Publix, the report said.
The victim advised that no one else should have had access to the vehicle, and she did not recognize anyone with the description given of Lamothe. She gave a more detailed description of the vehicle. The only items of value left inside the vehicle that she could recall were her cell phone, driver’s license and other personal items, the report said.
The victim was not the registered owner of the vehicle and subsequently provided contact information for him. Once contacted, he requested that the vehicle be entered as stolen and confirmed intent to prosecute. It was then reported as stolen, and the information about the incident, vehicle and suspect was spread throughout the LPD, the report said.
At about 8:15 p.m., two officers were completing a traffic stop in the parking lot of Circle K, located at 3300 E. Main St. While there, one of them noticed a vehicle matching the exact description as the stolen one. They then saw Lamothe get out of the driver’s seat and go into the store, the report said.
The officers confirmed the license plate to be the same as the stolen vehicle. One of the officers later identified the passenger as Paula Jean Morelli, who stated Lamothe was in fact the one driving, the report said.
One of the officers observed Lamothe walking toward the vehicle, stopping in the middle of the parking lot and not moving. The officer got out of the patrol vehicle and asked Lamothe if the vehicle was hers, to which she said no and started walking back toward the store. Lamothe was subsequently detained, the report said.
The officer brought Lamothe to the front of the patrol vehicle and explained why she was being detained. Lamothe stated the vehicle was hers but would not give her name or an ID. Officers asked again was her name was, and she began making movements with her hands to her back left pocket, the report said.
The officer grabbed Lamothe’s hand, and she yelled that she was getting her ID. The officer opened the pocket and observed a glass pipe, commonly used to smoke narcotics, behind a Florida ID. This belonged to the victim despite Lamothe saying it was hers, the report said.
A search incident to arrest led to the discovery of three bank cards also belonging to the victim. There were keys to the stolen vehicle in her pocket, too. An officer gave dispatch the victim’s ID over the radio, to which Lamothe again stated that was her name, the report said.
When another officer arrived on scene, he confirmed Lamothe was not the victim. She was extremely belligerent and refused to give law enforcement her identifying information until they asked for a fingerprint scanner from the Fruitland Park Police Department. Once they got on scene, she gave her information, the report said.
A search revealed a positive match by FL ID and social security number. Dispatch advised that Lamothe had an active warrant out of Lake County, the report said.
When an officer tried to inform Lamothe of her rights, she continued to use abusive language and did not wish to speak. After searching the stolen vehicle, the officers found a large black and silver, sparkly purse matching the description given by the witness. The victim stated the purse did not belong to her and was not previously in the vehicle, the report said.
Lamothe was taken to the LPD for the completion of the booking process without further incident. The passenger was also arrested on a Sumter County warrant, the report said.
While at the facility, an officer brought the purse in and asked if it belonged to Lamothe or the passenger, both of whom denied ownership. Lamothe later stated she wanted a specific black hooded jacket from inside the purse. She continued to deny ownership but still asked for the jacket from the purse, the report said.
The glass pipe, which contained burnt residue, found on Lamothe was tested and came back positive for cocaine. Lamothe also made several statements about “hitting” or smoking her “crack pipe,” the report said.
Lamothe was ultimately charged with theft vehicle (passenger car/SUV/minivan), drug paraphernalia (possess or use) false ID to law enforcement officer. The Indiana native was transported to Lake County Jail with bond set at $4,500.