Local News
2 charged with grand theft from Walmart
Marc Valero | Highlands Today
Published: November 29, 2012
AVON PARK - A man and woman were charged with grand theft for trying to take a cart from the Avon Park Walmart with more than $1,000 worth of merchandise.Published: November 29, 2012
As a sheriff's deputy arrived at the store at 4:45 p.m., Wednesday to follow up on a previous theft case, the assistant manager reported that a store loss prevention officer was following two people who appeared to be shoplifters.
The assistant manager yelled at a man who was pushing a shopping cart out of the store, the report shows. The man was later identified as Louis Edward Meza.
Meza walked away from the cart and refused to cooperate with the commands of the loss prevention officer, the report shows, and then resisted a sheriff's deputy.
A review of the surveillance video showed that it appeared that Shannon Leanne Cleveland and Meza had been acting together in the theft, the report states.
The items in the shopping cart had a total sales value of $1,059.
Meza, 40, of 2356 Hartford Road, Avon Park, was charged with committing grand theft and revisiting recovery of property, grand theft of more than $300, but less than $5,000 and resisting or obstructing an officer without violence.
Meza was being held at the Highlands County Jail on Thursday with bond set at $2,000.
Cleveland, 35, of 2356 Hartford Road, Avon Park, was charged with grand theft of more than $300, but less than $5,000.
Cleveland was being held at the Highlands County Jail on Thursday with bond set at $5,000.
mvalero@highlandstoday.com (863) 386-5826