A suspected shoe thief and her companion with a gun were arrested at Belk in The Villages.
Patricia Salley Schwerdt, 37, of Fruitland Park, entered the store at La Plaza Grande on Sunday afternoon and went to the men’s shoe department where she selected three pairs of Hey Dude shoes, according to an arrest report from the Lady Lake Police Department. She took the shoes into a fitting room where she concealed them in her purse. The South Carolina native walked out of the store without paying for the items, which had a total value of $130, the report said.
She got into a vehicle where she was taken into custody by police. A K-9 alerted on the vehicle, leading to the discovery of one gram of marijuana and a glass pipe.
Justin Colt Affleck, 35, who lives with Schwerdt, was also in the vehicle. He was found to be in possession of a loaded firearm with extra ammunition in the vehicle. He did not possess a concealed weapons permit.
Schwerdt was arrested on charges of theft, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Affleck was arrested on a charge of carrying a concealed firearm without a permit.
Both were taken into custody and booked at the Lake County Jail. Her bond was set at $4,000. He was also booked at the jail and was released after posting $2,000 bond.
