A Summerfield man and woman found themselves behind bars Thursday night after being accused of a scam to pay lower prices on items at the Summerfield Wal-Mart.
A Marion County sheriff’s deputy was called to the store shortly before 9 p.m. and when he arrived, a loss prevention officer told him that 38-year-old Martina Nelson and 39-year-old Barry J. Nelson had walked down several aisles and selected items. She said Martina Nelson took the tag off a package of Sham towels and used it to pay for $105.54 worth of items that included a $70 Sony Blu-Ray player, a $9.82 micro cable and a $25.72 Texas King Plush blanket.
The loss prevention officer said that while that was occurring, Barry Nelson kept two employees from seeing what was happening. Once Martina Nelson finished the transaction, she and Barry Nelson attempted to leave the store but were stopped and detained by the loss prevention officer, the report says.
After being read her rights, Martina Nelson admitted to using the wrong price tag to scan other items. She said she originally came into the store to get a blanket, “but once inside she found other items she wanted” and scanned them using the tag from the Sham towels. She denied scanning the Blu-Ray player but did admit to scanning the blanket with the towel price tag. She also claimed that Barry Nelson “was not aware that she was switching tags” at the item of the incident, the report says.
Barry Nelson said they didn’t originally go to Wal-Mart “with the intent to steal.” He said they went to the store to “retrieve a blanket” but then saw the Blu-Ray player and other items. He said when they arrived at the cash register, he assisted Martina Nelson in scanning the items but he only scanned the Blu-Ray player and not the blanket. He then claimed he helped Martina Nelson walk through the store but didn’t actually scan any items, the report says.
Both of the Nelsons were taken into custody and transported to the Marion County Jail. Martina Nelson, who listed her address as 14210 SE 62nd Ct. in Summerfield, has a prior conviction for retail felony theft on Jan. 23, 2017 after being arrested by Leesburg Police officers. She was charged with larceny/petit theft and released early Friday morning on $1,000 bond. Her next court date hasn’t yet been set.
Barry J. Nelson, who listed his address as 14182 SE 62nd Court in Summerfield, also was charged with larceny/petit theft and released early Friday morning on $1,000 bond. His next court date hasn’t been set.