A 39-year-old woman with two previous retail theft convictions and carrying a six-inch knife was arrested Wednesday afternoon after she allegedly stole items from Wal-Mart at Buffalo Ridge shopping plaza.
A loss prevention officer, posing as a customer, saw Jamie Dawn Leonard of Lake Panasoffkee conceal items in her purse and on her body and leave the store without paying for them, according to an arrest report from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. When the loss prevention officer attempted to stop her in the parking lot, Leonard fled on foot. The loss prevention officer saw Leonard produce a knife, cut open her purse and dump some of the stolen items on the ground, the report indicated.
Another deputy picked up Leonard in the vicinity of County Road 106 and County Road 108. She was taken back to Wal-Mart where the loss prevention officer positively identified her.
She told the deputy she had just gotten out of jail for doing the same thing. A criminal history check showed two previous convictions for retail theft. She was also found to be carrying the six-inch knife.
She is facing felony charge of carrying a concealed weapon as well as charges of retail theft and resisting recovery of stolen property.
She was booked at the Sumter County Detention Center on $5,000 bond.
