Florida Crime Files: Walgreens pharmacist robbed at gunpoint, man accused of stealing steaks at Walmart
FLORIDA - A Lake County Walgreens pharmacist was robbed at gunpoint, a Florida man is accused of stealing four ribeye steaks from Walmart, and a man is accused of tricking an elderly woman at an Ocala Walmart by stealing $3,000 from her. Here's FOX 35's Florida Crime Files.
Lake County Walgreens pharmacist robbed at gunpoint for prescription pills; suspect on the run: deputies
The Lake County Sheriff's Office is seeking information on an alleged Walgreens armed robbery on July 16, 2024. (Photo: Lake County Sheriff's Office)
Deputies are seeking information about an alleged armed robbery that took place at a Walgreens in Lake County on Tuesday morning.
The incident happened just before 9 a.m. at the pharmacy located on U.S. Highway 27 in Clermont, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies said they responded to Walgreens after receiving reports that a man armed with a handgun had entered the store. When deputies arrived, however, the suspect had already fled.
The man, who is described as a white male with balding red hair and a beard who was wearing a gray shirt and black shorts, allegedly brandished the gun in the pharmacy section and robbed the pharmacist of prescription pills, deputies said after they reviewed surveillance footage of the incident.
No one was injured.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Lake County Sheriff's Office or Central Florida Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS.
Florida man caught hiding 4 ribeye steaks under shirt at Walmart during theft, deputies say
Angel Ayala Rivera, 66
An Orlando man was arrested after he was caught allegedly hiding four ribeye steaks underneath his shirt at Walmart and leaving the store without paying, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Office.
Angel Ayala Rivera, 66, was charged with petit theft of $100 or more after the incident that unfolded at Walmart on South Orange Blossom Trail on Monday afternoon.
Just before 3 p.m., deputies responded to Walmart in reference to a shoplifter after an asset protection officer reported a man, identified as Ayala Rivera, who was seen going to the store's meat section, picking four packs of thin Ribeye steaks and placing them on the top part of his shopping cart, according to an arrest affidavit.
Ayala Rivera is then seen going into a different aisle and allegedly hiding the steaks underneath his shirt, which was covered by a jacket.
The man then left the store without paying for the steaks, deputies said.
The Walmart asset protection officer confronted Ayala Rivera, who gave back the steaks he stole until deputies arrived, the affidavit said. According to Walmart, the total amount of "recovered but damaged" steaks was $102.62.
Ayala Rivera was placed under arrest and transported to the Orange County Booking and Receiving Center. He has also been trespassed from the store.
Man accused of tricking elderly woman at Ocala Walmart, stealing over $3,000
The Marion County Sheriff's Office is looking for information regarding a man accused of tricking an elderly woman last month. (Photo: Marion County Sheriff's Office)
Detectives in Marion County are working to identify a man accused of tricking an elderly woman into giving him her debit card at a Walmart in Ocala, which resulted in over $3,000 being taken from her account.
The alleged debit card theft happened last month at Walmart on SW Highway 200 in Ocala, according to the Marion County Sheriff's Office. The woman was waiting for help in the electronics department when the wanted suspect reportedly approached her and "pretended to offer help," deputies said.
"After approximately two hours, he convinced the victim to hand over her debit card and provide her PIN so that he could ‘fix’ the phone," deputies said. "Shortly after, the suspect walked out of the store with the victim’s debit card. When she reminded him that he was still in possession of her card, he shrugged and walked away."
The man is accused of using the woman's card for the following transactions, according to officials:
- Withdraw $1,000 from Wells Fargo ATM
- $1,550 purchase at Lowe's
- $510 purchase at Circle K
Anyone with information about this individual or incident is urged to contact the Marion County Sheriff's Office at 352-732-9111 or Crime Stoppers of Marion County at 352-368-STOP.