Woman arrested after stealing 10-year-old boy's iPod, deputies say

LAKELAND (FOX 13) - A woman who stole a child’s iPod was finally caught, deputies say.

The theft occurred on December 17 at the Publix on Shepherd Road in Lakeland, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. The boy’s father told deputies his 10-year-old son set his iPod Touch on the counter while his mother was checking out of the grocery store. The boy walked over to a scale to weigh himself and accidentally left the iPod behind. When he walked back to the counter, it was gone. The iPod was valued at $250.

He asked a woman in line behind them if she saw it, but she told the boy, “No.” Surveillance video showed the woman did pocket the iPod, deputies say.

After the agency posted the surveillance video on Facebook page, investigators said they received numerous tips that the suspect was 26-year-old Nancy Carrizal of Lakeland. 

Detectives met with her to retrieve the iPod. She told them she thought the iPod was her phone. She said it was dead and was sitting on her junk drawer. Carrizal also said she was sick and was planning to contact law enforcement after the holidays when she felt better.

The iPod was returned to the boy, who turned it on and discovered all of its contents were erased. It was reset to its original factory settings on or around December 18, the day after the theft, detectives say.

“This Grinch was caught red-handed stealing a child’s property one week before Christmas,” said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd in a statement. “When confronted about it, she lied. She had an opportunity to return it to him right after she took it, when he asked her if she saw it. Now she's facing two criminal charges. Hopefully she’s learned her lesson.” 

Carrizal was arrested and charged with theft and tampering with evidence.