Florida woman caught allegedly stuffing backpack with stolen frozen shrimp at Walmart
Patricia Stoots was arrested on June 9, 2024 and charged with two counts of larceny-petit theft. (Photo: Sumter County Sheriffs Office)
BUSHNELL, Fla. - A Florida woman has found herself behind bars after she was caught allegedly filling her backpack with bags of frozen shrimp at Walmart.
Patricia Stoots, 54, was arrested and charged with two counts of larceny-petit theft after the incident that unfolded at the Bushnell Walmart on Sunday night, according to an arrest affidavit from the Sumter County Sheriff's Office.
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A loss prevention officer told deputies that Stoots grabbed several bags of frozen shrimp and frozen tilapia and put them in her shopping cart, the affidavit said. She then put the bags of frozen seafood into her backpack and left the store without paying.
The Walmart employee then asked Stoots for a receipt, but she provided a receipt from last week and not Sunday, the affidavit said. Nearly $430 worth of merchandise was allegedly stolen.
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What exactly was stolen in addition to the bags of frozen shrimp and tilapia are unclear at this time since they are redacted in the report, but the affidavit does mention an air conditioning blower and a large power tool in her shopping cart.
Deputies also learned of a previous theft conviction for Stoots, the affidavit added. She was arrested on a Hernando County warrant for felony retail theft from May and is currently on a pretrial release for that case. Because of this, Stoots remains in custody without bond.