Three people were arrested after a foiled shoplifting attempt at Walmart.
Elizabeth Jean MacDonald, 31, of Sarasota, on Monday entered the store in Bushnell and selected merchandise, some of which she placed in a shopping cart, while placing other items in her purse or a bag she brought into the store, according to an arrest report from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. She went to a self-checkout aisle where she scanned and paid for $91 worth of merchandise, but did not scan or pay for $55 worth of items concealed in her purse or in the bag.
As MacDonald left the store, she was confronted by a loss prevention agent. She got into a gray Nissan Altima, which left the parking lot.
A deputy spotted the Nissan Altima at a nearby Citgo gas station. The driver and registered owned of the vehicle was identified as 36-year-old Robert Louis Johnson Jr. of Cape Coral. He was free on bond in a Lee County case in which he faces charges of battery, witness tampering and false imprisonment. A search of the Nissan Altima turned up methamphetamine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
A passenger in the Nissan Altima, 43-year-old Melissa Jones of Cape Coral, was found to have psilocybin mushrooms in her purse as well as a black digital scale.
In addition, MacDonald was in possession of fentanyl and drug paraphernalia.
All three were taken into custody and booked at the Sumter County Detention Center.
