Two women were arrested after the botched “return” of stolen merchandise at Wal-Mart at Buffalo Ridge Plaza in The Villages.
Sumter County sheriff’s deputies at 6:32 p.m. Friday pulled over a green Saturn with a damaged rear window and a “porn hub” sticker on the rear, according to an arrest report. The vehicle had been traveling on County Road 466 just two blocks from the Wal-Mart store.
The driver was identified as 32-year-old Ashley Pettis of Leesburg. When a deputy approached the vehicle, the distinct odor of marijuana was detected. The deputy asked Pettis if she had a medical marijuana card and she said she did not. A passenger in the car was identified at 34-year-old Angelina Mae Zulu.
A Wal-Mart loss prevention officer said the pair had entered the store and attempted to return a purple suitcase and other merchandise. The women claimed the luggage and other items had been a gift and they did not have a receipt. They were turned down.
They then went to a self-checkout lane where they pretended to scan the merchandise. Zulu ate two bags of M&Ms while they were in line. The merchandise, including the purple suitcase, was found in the car during the traffic stop.
Pettis was found to be in possession of a half-smoked marijuana cigarette.
Zulu was in possession of Alprazolam.
Both were taken into custody on theft and drug charges and booked at the Sumter County Detention Center.