An Avon Park couple was arrested for shoplifting after a Walmart employee caught them skip-scanning at a self-checkout register.
A deputy responded to Walmart, located at 550 U.S. Hwy. 27, Clermont, regarding a retail theft at 6:20 p.m. Monday, according to an arrest report from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. A loss prevention associate advised that he observed 33-year-old Amanda Pereira Martins and 34-year-old Michael Tonny da Silva Rizza skip-scanning merchandise at the self-checkout.
According to the associate and surveillance footage, da Silva Rizza was seen taking various grocery items and putting them down near the self-checkout register. Pereira Martins was then observed bagging those items without scanning them. Later in the footage, she was seen scanning select items while continuing to bag other items while making no attempt to scan or pay for them, the report said.
Loss prevention met with both suspects as they left the store and escorted them to the Asset Protection office for further investigation. The footage clearly captured them bypassing the point of sale without paying for the hidden merchandise. The value of the stolen merchandise was determined to be $127.37. All items were recovered and returned to the store’s inventory, the report said.
Pereira Martins and da Silva Rizza had their juvenile child with them at the time of the incident. The child was safely turned over to a family member at the scene, the report said.
Both suspects were arrested and charged with retail theft (shoplifting). They were transported to Lake County Jail and released after posting their respective $500 bonds.