Airbnb guests visiting Polk County accused of stealing from Wawa: ‘Fooled around and found out’
Courtesy: Polk County Sheriff's Office
DAVENPORT, Fla. - Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd says a group of 15, including three juveniles, who were staying at a Davenport Airbnb came to the area ‘on vacation and will leave on probation’ after he says they stole items from a Davenport Wawa.
Davenport Wawa retail theft
What we know:
A group of 15 people from across Florida were staying at a local Airbnb came to the area on vacation but ended up arrested after stealing from a Wawa on Old Lake Wilson Road, according to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.
Store employees called the sheriff's office Friday after reportedly seeing the group concealing bottled drinks and food inside their clothes.
The group reportedly arrived in three separate vehicles—a BMW, a Tesla and a Honda Accord.
Deputies said the young adults and teens took turns entering the store over a 15-minute span, eating and drinking stolen items while blocking the view of store clerks. Surveillance footage confirmed the coordinated theft of Calypso drinks, Brisk iced tea, Cheetos and Ramen soup, totaling about $40.
What we don't know:
It is unclear if the store will seek further financial damages beyond the recovered merchandise.
Shoplifting suspects face charges
By the numbers:
Deputies arrested 12 adults and three teens at the scene. All suspects face charges of petit theft and tampering with evidence. The 12 adults face additional charges for contributing to the delinquency of a minor. One adult was charged with a probation violation, and two others face marijuana and paraphernalia possession charges after deputies found drugs inside the BMW.
Bystander violates Halo Law
The backstory:
An unrelated 18-year-old man, Jayden Murphy, was also arrested at the scene after he refused multiple verbal warnings to move away from the investigation, according to PCSO.
Deputies said Murphy stood within 17 feet of the active scene.
He was charged with two counts of harassing first responders and two counts of resisting arrest under Florida's "Halo Law," which mandates a 25-foot buffer zone around active law enforcement personnel.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, who gave commentary on the arrests as well as the Polk County Sheriff's Office arrest details and store surveillance findings.