A pair of 25-year-old men were arrested last week after allegedly trying to steal nearly $200 worth of items from an Ocala Wal-Mart store.
Joseph Keith Demarco of Silver Springs and Casey Faulstick of Ocklawaha were both charged with petit retail theft after the incident, which happened early Wednesday at the store at 4980 E. Silver Springs Blvd.
A loss-prevention employee told an Ocala Police officer he just had an attempted retail theft where the merchandise was recovered. The employee said the two men involved – later identified as Demarco and Faulstick – were both walking east-bound through the parking lot and pointed them out. Both were detained and brought back into the store, according to the police report.
The deputy viewed surveillance video that showed Faulstick spraying an unknown substance from what appeared to be a spray can onto merchandise. Demarco then hid behind Faulstick, out of the view of the camera, and appeared to be placing price tags of cheaper items on the merchandise they were going to steal. Demarco then disappeared into the clothing section wearing a blue hoodie and came out wearing a white short-sleeve hoodie. He was still wearing the hoodie when he was stopped in the parking lot, the report said.
Faulstick told the deputy he entered the store with his friend, “Tim” (Demarco), and they were shopping. Faulstick said he was shopping for groceries and paid for them, then re-entered the store to get the LED lights he paid for, according to the report.
Faulstick denied participating in changing the barcode on the merchandise. He said he was approached by the store employee, who took his receipt. Faulstick said he paid for the LED lights but couldn’t say whether or not he paid more than $10 for the merchandise. He said he understood it looked suspicious for him to leave the merchandise he had just “paid for” behind when he left the store. Demarco invoked his Miranda rights and declined to speak with the officer, the report said.
The total value of the stolen merchandise was $188.93, while Faulstick paid $5.54, making the total loss for Walmart $183.39. The officer observed the merchandise had a clear substance and barcodes that didn’t belong on the barcodes originally intended for the merchandise, according to the report.
Faulstick and Demarco were taken to the Marion County Jail. Faulstick was released Thursday on $500 bond. Demarco is off bond from a January arrest and is being held on $10,000 bond. DeMarco will appear in Marion County Court on Sept. 6.