A wanted man from Georgia was tracked down and arrested Wednesday after allegedly using a fake receipt to steal a leaf blower from a Lowe’s home improvement store in Lady Lake.
Mark Eric Cresong, 40, who had been residing in Belleview, was picked up on a Sumter County warrant for theft. He was being held without bond at the Sumter County Detention Center to be turned over to Georgia authorities.
The local charge stems from an incident that occurred on Oct. 10 at the Lowe’s located on U.S. Hwy. 441. According to an arrest affidavit from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, Cresong entered the store with an empty shopping cart and selected a 40V Leaf Blaster Max, valued at $379.
He then approached a cashier, claimed the item had already been purchased, and presented a receipt. The cashier immediately noticed the receipt paper differed from the store’s standard stock and called for a manager. At that point, Cresong bypassed the registers and walked out of the store with the leaf blower without paying. He fled the parking lot in a white truck.
A Lowe’s loss prevention officer provided surveillance footage of the theft to law enforcement. Detectives were able to trace the truck’s license plate to a residence in Belleview. A woman at the home confirmed she was the primary driver of the truck and that “Mark” was living with her.
A criminal history check revealed that Cresong was previously convicted of retail theft in 2004 in Highlands County. He is also currently on felony probation for possession of methamphetamine, a probationary term that was scheduled to run until 2042.
He is facing a charge of second-degree petit theft (second offense).