An elderly Florida man is behind bars after detectives say he made a habit out of shoplifting from the same two Walmart stores, over and over, for nearly two months straight. By the time deputies caught up with him, he’d allegedly hit the stores 11 separate times.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, 74-year-old Saad Abouelala had a warrant out for multiple retail thefts and defrauding to obtain property. On Wednesday, September 9, a deputy spotted Abouelala’s silver 2016 Kia Sorento on Fitzgerald Road in Lakeland around 7:35 p.m.
Rather than risk a vehicle pursuit by stopping him immediately, the deputy held off and called in additional units. Once the backup arrived, deputies conducted a traffic stop near Francis Pipkin Road and Emerald Cove Loop and blocked the vehicle.
Abouelala was taken into custody without incident and booked at the Sheriff’s Processing Center.
He Went to the Same Two Stores
Investigators say Abouelala is accused of stealing from two Polk County Walmart locations across 11 separate dates: July 10, July 13, August 1, August 7, August 10, August 12, August 14, August 15, August 22, August 29, and September 2.
The total value of the stolen merchandise adds up to roughly $1,000, according to the sheriff’s office, though the investigation remains ongoing and that figure could change.
The Charges
Abouelala is facing two felony charges: retail theft as a second-degree felony and defrauding to obtain property as a third-degree felony.
Under Florida Statute 812.015, retail theft can be charged as a second-degree felony when a person commits three or more retail thefts within 120 days, obtains or uses 20 or more items of merchandise across those thefts, and at least two of the thefts occur at different physical retail merchant locations. The statute specifically says the number of items is aggregated across thefts, regardless of value.
If the 11 alleged thefts involving two Walmart locations included at least 20 individual items, that could explain the second-degree retail theft charge, even though the sheriff’s office reported approximately $1,000 in merchandise. The information currently available does not establish how many individual items were allegedly taken, so it is not possible to say with certainty what exactly resulted in the second-degree charge.
According to Florida law, a second-degree felony carries a maximum sentence of up to 15 years in prison, while a third-degree felony carries a maximum sentence of up to five years.
Abouelala remains behind bars while investigators continue looking into the alleged thefts. Whether investigators uncover any other Walmart trips remains to be seen. As always, all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.