Deputies apprehended 12 adults and three minors for allegedly stealing food and drinks outside of a local convenience store.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the incident took place on June 26 at the Davenport Wawa on Old Lake Wilson Road.
Store employees notified the Sheriff’s Office after allegedly seeing the suspects move around the store while concealing bottled drinks and food under their clothes.
Deputies stated that the group looked to know each other and arrived at the store in three different vehicles: a BMW, a Tesla, and a Honda Accord.
The suspects allegedly took turns entering and exiting the business in 15 minutes, with some eating and drinking the stolen items. Deputies reported that the group also obscured the clerks’ view as other suspects grabbed stuff.
The employees provided the sheriff’s office with specific descriptions of the suspects and their cars, and when deputies arrived, the suspects were about to leave the business.
Deputies apprehended all suspects, recovered some stolen products that had not yet been used, and gathered empty bottles and packages.
The sheriff’s office then interviewed the suspects, who all admitted to removing the things.
Calypso drinks, Brisk iced tea, a bag of Cheetos, and a ramen soup were stolen, totalling around $40.
The adults listed below were arrested for petit theft and tampering with evidence:
- Angel Quintero,19, from Winter Springs
- Genaiya Saintira, 18, from Hollywood
- Valencia Saul, 19, from Lantana
- Pervaysia Laster,20, from Boynton Beach
- Shenia Smith, 19, from Parkland
- Lillian Brown,19, from Hollywood
- Sterllin Hyppolite, 18, from Lauderdale Lakes
- Davends Clerge, 21, from Boynton Beach
- Garvens Clerge, 18, from Boynton Beach
- Schneider Joseph, 22, from Lantana
- Richemond Seraphin, 21, from Lantana
- William Butler, 18, from Lake Worth
The 12 adults were also charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Joseph was also charged with violation of probation. Quintero, Laster, and Clerge were also charged with possession of marijuana and paraphernalia when deputies discovered the substances in the BMW.
“This is a classic case of people who came to our county, fooled around, and found out,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said. “Now they’re all facing charges because they found it perfectly acceptable to go into the Wawa, grab what they wanted, and consume it without paying for it.”
During the enquiry, deputies reported that Jayden Murphy, 18, who did not appear to know the defendants, arrived and began yelling at them not to cooperate or speak with the officers. Deputies reportedly instructed Murphy to move or leave the location, but he refused.
Murphy was detained for violating the “Halo Law”, which requires a 25-foot buffer zone around active law enforcement officials, as well as two counts of disturbing first responders and resisting arrest.
All adult suspects were transferred to the Polk County Jail, while kids were taken to the Juvenile Assessment Centre.
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