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Ocala
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Woman jailed after cohort flees from Ocala Wal-Mart parking lot

Veronica Faye Valerio

An Ocala woman was jailed last week after a Wal-Mart loss prevention employee reported seeing her selectively scan items at a self-checkout register and then attempt to exit the store.

The employee told an Ocala Police officer that 36-year-old Veronica Faye Valerio was in the store with another man – jail records show that he has a long criminal record – who fled in a Silver Chevrolet Traverse SUV after he confronted them. He said he had watched Valerio and the man scan some items and pass others under the scanner without the merchandise actually being rung up, an Ocala Police report states.

The employee at the store, located at 2600 SW 19th Avenue Rd., said the mostly perishable grocery items were valued at $292.85. He then showed the officer video surveillance footage of the incident, the report says.

After being read her rights, Valerio admitted to not scanning certain items at the self-checkout station. She said she had the money to pay for the merchandise and offered to do so but the man who fled the store made her steal the items, the report says.

Valerio, who lives in the 1100 block of NW 44th St. in Ocala, was taken into custody and transported to the Marion County Jail, where she was charged with retail petit theft. She was released early last Monday morning and her next court date hasn’t yet been set.