A man in a wheelchair and his female companion were arrested in an alleged shoplifting scheme at Best Buy in Lady Lake.
Matthew Mehrhoff, 48, of Umatilla, was in a wheelchair in the store shortly before 11 a.m. Saturday and was being pushed by 21-year-old Miranda Sue Chapman, also of Umatilla, when store personnel noticed that the pair were behaving in a suspicious manner, according to an arrest report from the Lady Lake Police Department. They were seen on surveillance making contact with merchandise packaging followed by Mehrhoff placing an item in his jacket and zipping it up. Store personnel contacted police and asked that Mehrhoff and Chapman be escorted from the store.
After police arrived at the store and asked the pair to leave, they became loud and argumentative and refused to go. They were told three times to leave the store and were warned that if they did not do so, they would be arrested.
Mehrhoff was found to have a black LG External USB Blu-Ray Disc Rewriter and a USB power cord in his jacket. He was also in possession of 8.24 grams of marijuana. The Missouri native was arrested on charges of theft, possession of marijuana and trespassing. He was booked at the Lake County Jail on $2,000 bond.
Chapman was arrested on charges of theft and trespassing. She was also booked at the jail on $2,000 bond.
