A serial shoplifter was apprehended after attempting to flee with $300 worth of stolen merchandise at Walmart at Buffalo Ridge Plaza in The Villages.
Ricky Allen, 63, of Leesburg, was arrested at about 4 p.m. Sunday after he entered the store through the grocery section, selected about $300 worth of items, and then headed for the exit in the store’s automotive area, without paying for the merchandise, according to an arrest report from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.
After he was taken into custody, a deputy ran a criminal history check and learned that Allen has had numerous theft convictions, dating back to 1982. In addition, he was arrested this past December with crack cocaine in Leesburg.
Allen was taken into custody and booked without bond at the Sumter County Detention Center.