A Wildwood man who was arrested for stealing from Walmart was also caught with several drugs in his pockets.
A deputy responded to Walmart at Buffalo Ridge Plaza in The Villages, regarding a retail theft at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to an arrest report from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. Upon arrival, he met with loss prevention and 52-year-old Doug McDaniel in an office.
The loss prevention employee stated it had been brought to his attention that McDaniel and a female were in the electronic department. The employee saw him take a phone screen protector out of its box and put it in his right chest pocket. They then went to the pet aisles and took several things, the report said.
They proceeded to make their way to the self-checkout area. McDaniel scanned the items but folded two pairs of shorts to scan as if they were one. The employee paused the transaction, and a worker came to correct the issue, the report said.
McDaniel stacked two items again and only scanned the bottom one. He did this with multiple other items. After finishing the transaction, he did not pay for $73.20 in unscanned merchandise and tried to leave the store, the report said.
The deputy subsequently brought McDaniel to his patrol vehicle and searched his person. He stated he had drugs in his left jean pocket, leading to the discovery of a prescription bottle wrapped in red tape. Inside was a little plastic baggie of methamphetamine, a little jar with more methamphetamine, another baggie with three MDMA pills and a rock of crack cocaine, the report said.
There was also a cigarette carton in his left shirt pocket which contained some cigarettes and a glass pipe with white powdery residue. This later tested positive for methamphetamine, as well, the report said.
McDaniel was arrested on charges of larceny petit theft, possession of cocaine, possession of methamphetamine, drug equipment (possess or use) and possession of controlled substance without prescription. The Indiana native was transported to the Sumter County Detention Center with bond set at $8,150.