A Tavares man was arrested Saturday for theft after “rushing” behind a counter to steal two containers of cannabis at Trulieve dispensary.
On the afternoon of March 5, an officer responded to Trulieve, a cannabis store located at 106 W. North Blvd., regarding an alarm call for service, according to an arrest report from the Leesburg Police Department. Dispatch advised the alarm was from a panic button at register #2. An employee pushed it because of an irate customer, later identified as 28-year-old Micah Benjamin Hook.
The employee explained he checked Hook by his patient profile. He needed Hook’s patient ID number to log him in and make a purchase. Once all the information was given, the employee proceeded with the transaction, the report said.
The employee came out from behind the register to grab Hook’s order. At that point, Hook walked behind the register where he “rushed” to a wire rack and stole two 7-gram containers of Mimosa flower cannabis. He then walked out of the business, the report said.
The officer next spoke to a witness, another employee. While helping a different customer, he saw Hook walk behind the counter. He was told to “stop,” but he instead “charged” him before stealing the product from the shelf behind him and immediately leaving, the report said.
The officer was also shown camera footage of the incident. In it, he observed Hook walk into the business at about 3:50 p.m. He spoke to the employee who then walked away from the counter, the report said.
Hook walked around the counter to the corner where a wire rack was sat with product on it. The witness saw Hook walking toward him, put his arms up and told him to “stop.” Hook grabbed the product and pushed the witness out of the way, the report said.
The witness tried to grab the product back from Hook but was unsuccessful. He left the business, got onto a black motorcycle and left the area, the report said.
The officer checked with dispatch to see if Hook had any motorcycles registered to him. He learned that he had a red 1991 Suzuki motorcycle, the report said.
Hook was ultimately arrested around 4:10 p.m. Saturday at the Lake County Aviation Unit, located at 32840 Echo Dr. He was charged with theft (controlled substance) and retail theft (resists merchant). He was transported to Lake County Jail with bond set at $3,500.