An Ocala man was arrested on shoplifting and drug possession charges after being caught walking out of a Target store with more than $250 worth of items he didn’t pay for.
Michael D. Rose, 31, was arrested Tuesday night at the Target at 2000 SW College Road. He was charged with retail theft (fifth offense), three counts of possession of methamphetamine, possession of antishoplifting device, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Ocala Police responded to the store, where an employee reported seeing Rose enter and proceed directly to the electronics section, where he selected a cell phone and forcibly removed it from a locking peg hook. Rose then proceeded to the seasonal section, where he selected a backpack, removed the price tag from it, and placed it on his back, according to the police report.
The employee said Rose then concealed the cell phone and other store merchandise inside the backpack. He then proceeded to the front of the store, passing all points of sale without paying for the items. An OPD officer apprehended Rose as he exited through the front door and placed him in handcuffs, the report said.
Rose was walked back to the store security office, where he admitted the items in the backpack were taken from the store by him. The items included a pack of Duracell batteries valued at $13.99, a Bike bag ($13.99), a blue cell phone ($79.99), a SanDisk memory card ($11.99), a tracking device ($69.99), Kodak film ($18.99), and a backpack ($44.99). The total value was $253.93, according to the report.
During a post-arrest search of Rose, the officer recovered a clear solid substance from inside his black leather wallet that tested positive for methamphetamine. Also found was a device used to remove anti-theft devices like the ones used at Target. A criminal history check on Rose shows five prior theft convictions dating back to 2015, the report said.
Once Rose was taken to jail, the store employee called and said Rose’s blue bicycle was still outside the store. An officer searched two bags that were on the bicycle and found seven unused syringes, two syringes containing a dark-colored substance, three clear plastic bags containing a clear solid substance, three clear plastic bags containing small pieces of a sponge-like material, a black metallic weight scale, and the syringe’s end caps. The clear solid substance and sponge-like material both tested positive for methamphetamine, according to the report.
Rose is being held in the Marion County Jail on $14,000 bond. His next appearance in Marion County Court is scheduled for Aug. 20.