A Villager who runs a home watch service has entered a plea in a shoplifting case.
Barry Buske, 79, of the Village of Osceola Hills, this past week in Sumter County Court entered a plea of not guilty to a charge of theft. He remains free on $150 bond which was posted by his wife after his arrest Nov. 10 at Publix at Colony Plaza.
Buske told Sumter County sheriff’s deputies that he “zoned out” that afternoon and walked out of the store with $99.55 worth of merchandise for which he had not paid. When Buske attempted to leave the store, he was stopped by an assistant manager.
Surveillance footage showed him entering the store with reusable shopping bags and selecting a shopping cart. He went to the floral section and selected flowers before heading to the deli where he picked up two sandwich platters, according to the arrest report. He also picked up bananas in produce. He added a box of Honey Nut Cheerios to his cart. Buske added Diet Coke and protein drinks to the cart and pushed it past all checkout points.
When deputies arrived on the scene, Buske admitted “he knew he made the mistake,” the arrest report said. He did not deny “responsibility” and said he didn’t know why he “committed the crime.”
In a form he filled out with the court, Buske originally indicated he would be relying on the public defender for representation. However, he later hired criminal defense attorney Mark Conan, who entered a written plea of not guilty on his client’s behalf.
Buske runs Badger Home Watch Services. The University of Wisconsin alum named his company after his alma mater’s mascot, according to his company website.
He was an executive of a sports goods company for 31 years before retiring to The Villages, where he founded his home watch business.
