| Probable cause affidavit: |
SUBMITTED BY: MENDIGUTIA, RICARDO 0529 (AR07005053) DID UNLAWFULLY AND KNOWINGLY TAKE, OBTAIN OR USE OR ENDEAVOR TO TAKE, OBTAIN OR USE THE PROPERTY OF BEALL'S DEPARTMENT STORE, TO WIT: A CHILD'S JEANS SKIRT, BY CARRYING AWAY THE SAID MERCHANDISE, WITH INTENT TO TEMPORARILY OR PERMANENTLY DEPRIVE BEALL'S DEPARTMENT STORE, A MERCHANT, OF THE POSSESSION, USE, BENEFIT, OR FULL RETAIL VALUE OF SAID PROPERTY, SAID PROPERTY BEING OF A VALUE OF LESS THAN $300.00, IN VIOLATION OF FLORIDA STATE STATUTES 812.015, 812.014(1), AND 812.014(3)(A). ON 091107 AT APPROXIMATELY 1154 HOURS, I RESPONDED TO 2851 EAST GULF TO LAKE HIGHWAY, THE BEALL'S DEPARTMENT STORE, IN INVERNESS IN REFERENCE TO A THEFT. UPON ARRIVAL, CONTACT WAS MADE WITH THE LOSS PREVENTION OFFICER/COMPLAINANT, MR CHRIS CARAVETTO, WHO ADVISED THAT WHILE MONITORING THE SECURITY CAMERAS, HE OBSERVED A WHITE MALE SUBJECT, DEFENDANT TWO, WEARING A BASEBALL CAP AND A WHITE FEMALE SUBJECT, DEFENDANT ONE, WHO WERE LOOKING AT ITEMS. HE OBSERVED THE FEMALE SUBJECT DUCK BEHIND SOME CLOTHING RACKS WHILE THE MALE SUBJECT WAS LOOKING AT A PAIR OF SHOES WHICH WERE IN A BOX. THE COMPLAINANT OBSERVED THE FEMALE SUBJECT CONCEALING AN ITEM IN HER PANTS. HE OBSERVED THE MALE SUBJECT REPLACE THE SHOES HE WAS WEARING FOR THE NEW PAIR OF SHOES. HE THEN OBSERVED THE MALE SUBJECT WALK AROUND THE STORE, WEARING THE NEW SHOES. THE COMPLAINANT FURTHER ADVISED HE LATER FOUND THE OLD SHOES IN A SHOEBOX WHERE A NEW PAIR OF SHOES BELONGED. BOTH THE MALE SUBJECT AND THE FEMALE SUBJECT WALKED PAST THE CASH REGISTERS WITHOUT MAKING ANY ATTEMPT TO PAY FOR THE ITEMS. THEY CONTINUED TO WALK OUT OF THE DOOR AND INTO THE PARKING LOT OF BEALL'S DEPARTMENT STORE. BOTH PARTIES WERE DISPLAYING THE ITEMS THEY HAD TAKEN AS THEY WERE GETTING IN TO A VEHICLE. THE FEMALE SUBJECT WAS OBSERVED IN HER VEHICLE, HOLDING A CHILD'S JEANS SKIRT, SHOWING IT TO THE MALE SUBJECT AS THEY DROVE AWAY. THE INCIDENT WAS CAPTURED ON THE VIDEO SURVEILLANCE TAPE WHICH WAS IMPOUNDED AND LATER PLACED IN EVIDENCE. APPROXIMATELY THREE HOURS LATER, I OBSERVED THE SUSPECT VEHICLE TRAVELING WEST ON US HIGHWAY 41 SOUTH, AT WHICH TIME I TURNED MY PATROL VEHICLE AROUND AND GOT BEHIND THE SUSPECT VEHICLE WHICH THEN MADE A U-TURN AND TRAVELED SOUTH ON US HIGHWAY 41 SOUTH. I PROCEEDED TO FOLLOW THE VEHICLE AND CONDUCTED A TRAFFIC STOP IN THE PARKING LOT OF THE SUMTER ELECTRIC COMPANY (SECO.) I MADE CONTACT WITH BOTH THE FEMALE SUBJECT AND THE MALE SUBJECT. I READ MIRANDA VIA CARD TO DEFENDANT ONE, MS KASSY COLE, WHO STATED SHE UNDERSTOOD HER RIGHTS AND WOULD SPEAK WITH ME. I ASKED DEFENDANT ONE IF SHE HAD BEEN AT BEALL'S DEPARTMENT STORE EARLIER IN THE DAY, TO WHICH SHE REPLIED NO. I ADVISED HER THAT I HAD VIEWED A VIDEO SURVEILLANCE TAPE IN BEALL'S WHICH SHOWED HER WALKING OUT WITH STORE MERCHANDISE WHICH HAD NOT BEEN PAID FOR. SHE DENIED ANY INVOLVEMENT IN THE INCIDENT. WHEN I ADVISED HER AGAIN THAT I HAD SEEN HER ON THE VIDEO SURVEILLANCE TAPE, SHE CONFESSED TO JUST TAKING A CHILD'S JEANS SKIRT FOR HER YOUNG DAUGHTER. I SPOKE TO DEFENDANT TWO, MR RONALD WATKINS, AND READ HIM MIRANDA VIA CARD, TO WHICH HE STATED HE UNDERSTOOD HIS RIGHTS AND WOULD SPEAK WITH ME. WHEN I ASKED HIM WHAT HAD HAPPENED AT BEALL'S, HE TOOK A DEEP BREATH AND STATED HE WAS ON PROBATION AND THIS WAS GOING TO PUT HIM AWAY. I ASKED HIM AGAIN WHAT HAD HAPPENED AT BEALL'S AND HE JUST REPLIED "I FUCKED UP, I'M DONE MAN, I'M DONE." I ASKED HIM A THIRD TIME WHAT HAD HAPPENED AT BEALL'S, AT WHICH TIME HE CONFESSED TO STEALING THE SHOES BECAUSE HE HAD BEEN PRESSURED TO BY HIS FEMALE COMPANION, DEFENDANT ONE. BOTH SUBJECTS WERE PLACED UNDER ARREST, HANDCUFFED (DOUBLE LOCKED) BEHIND THEIR BACKS, SECURED IN THE REAR SEAT OF MY PATROL VEHICLE AND TRANSPORTED TO THE CITRUS COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY FOR BOOKING AND PROCESSING. WHILE EN ROUTE TO THE DETENTION FACILITY, DEFENDANT WATKINS SPONTANEOUSLY UTTERED "HEY, DID THEY GET MY OLD SHOES? CAN I HAVE THEM BACK?" UPON ARRIVAL AT THE DETENTION FACILITY, BOND WAS SET AT $250.00 FOR EACH DEFENDANT, PER THE BOND SCHEDULE. *NOT-EXEMPT* |
