Posted on 05/21/2018 8:13:19 AM PDT by bgill
Security cameras were rolling when Jeffrey Robert Sabiel, 50, and Santa Marie Walters, 32, stole a motorized shopping cart from a Walmart located on Missouri Avenue in Largo, according to an affidavit. Shortly after the theft was reported, the cart was spotted outside Jimmy's Sports Bar in Largo and an officer found the couple at the bar... After denying the theft, the couple admitted to taking the cart and was arrested on charges of grand theft. They were both booked into the Pinellas County Jail.
(Excerpt) Read more at kxan.com ...
Doesn’t say what time this happened, perhaps they were disappointed to have arrived to Walmart at the wrong time of day.
Alcohol laws in Largo, Florida. In Largo, a city in Pinellas County, Florida, packaged alcoholic beverages may be sold between 11:00 a.m. and midnight on Sunday, and between 8:00 a.m. and midnight, Monday through Saturday.
George Jones
I was never convicted.
I think they must have gotten the ages backward.
The woman is 32 yrs old? Nah.
Largo seems not to have improved much since the days of Humphrey, Lauren, and Eddie G.
Joy Ride...Walmart Style!!
Yep definitely could see a country song in all this.
Because it is an escalation that does not need to occur. With more and more offenses becoming felonies, the “raise the bar” mentality of legislators will come to a breaking point, where everything is a felony. These folks would be better served with a sentence of community service but now are facing 2-3 years.
Exactly what I was thinking.
Now George. George was a serious drinking man. Committed to his craft.
“Grand theft” vs. “petty theft” is based on the value of the goods stolen. This is not new. A quick search shows that the carts at Walmart are valued around $2,500. If they’d stolen a car valued at $2,500, it would be grand theft. If they’d stolen electronics valued at $2,500, it would be grand theft. Why should this item be different?
The distinction between petty theft and grand theft is based on value. Typically petty theft is anything having a value less than $500 or $1000 depending on jurisdiction and grand theft is anything over.
The solution is obvious.
Start installing bars in Walmart stores.
Because the value of items when the statue was enacted has not kept pace with current valuation. They did not steal a car, nor electronics. While I am not defending them stealing Walmart property, their stunt was nothing more than something kids did years ago. The point I am making is that they are incredibly stupid but hardly felonious. If the only reaction to any crime, no matter the severity, is to charge someone with a felony, we will all be criminals in short order.
Ok, perhaps they should have stolen shopping carts instead. Nobody seems to give a crap about that anywhere in the country as every drug addict homeless bum seems entitled to at least one of those...
“A motorized shopping cart is Grant Theft?”.....
Must have been the souped up, customized version, they’re move pricy than the standard issue.
Give ‘em a break!
They were too drunk to walk......
Perhaps the state needs to enact a new misdemeanor offense, something on the order of “borrowing without permission,” which would cover situations where the property is recovered, intact, in short order.
Class, pure class.
Under Florida law, Grand Theft is any intentional and unlawful taking of property valued at $300.00 or more. Grand theft is a felony offense, with penalties that may include prison, probation, fines, restitution, and a permanent criminal record.
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