A former Best Buy employee has been ordered into an anti-theft class after attempting to steal phones from the store in Lady Lake.
Richard Thomas Peddycord of Leesburg, 60, last week in Lake County Court entered into a pre-trial intervention contract that will enable him to avoid prosecution on a charge of grand theft if he lives up to the terms of the deal.
The Best Buy manager had been reviewing surveillance footage from Nov. 17 when he observed Peddycord taking a Samsung Galaxy S20 phone into a public restroom, according to an arrest report from the Lady Lake Police Department. A sign near the restroom said, “No Merchandise Beyond This Point.” The surveillance also showed Peddycord hiding four other phones throughout the store. The phones had a combined value of $3,499.95.
The West Virginia native has agreed to make restitution to Best Buy with a 4 percent surcharge and enroll in an anti-theft class. He was also ordered to perform 20 hours of community service, although he can “buy out” at a rate of $10 per hour.
