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Ocala
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Woman with hefty criminal background accused of stealing from Ocala Wal-Mart

Annette Cecilia Darby

A 46-year-old Ocala woman with an extensive criminal background found herself behind bars Thursday night after being accused of stealing merchandise from an Ocala Wal-Mart.

Marion County sheriff’s deputies were called to the store at 34 Bahia Ave. and when they arrived, a loss prevention officer told them that Annette Cecilia Darby had gone to a self-checkout station and failed to scan several items that were in her shopping bags.

The loss prevention officer apprehended Darby after she passed all points of sale and brought her to his office. He said the total value of the merchandise she allegedly attempted to steal was $158.54, the report says.

A computer checked showed that Darby had nine prior convictions for theft. Those include:

  • March 12, 1998: Retail petit theft;
  • March 9, 1999: Grand theft of a motor vehicle;
  • Oct. 12, 1999: Grand theft;
  • March 20, 2000: Retail petit theft;
  • May 17, 2000: Retail grand theft;
  • Dec. 13, 2000: Petit theft;
  • June 20, 2002: Grand theft over $20,000;
  • March 21, 2005: Grand theft over $20,000; and
  • March 12, 2012: Grand theft.

Darby, who lives at 2035 NW 43rd St. in Ocala, was taken into custody and transported to the Marion County Jail, where she was charged with larceny/petit theft (third or subsequent offense) and a probation violation for felony battery. She was being held on $2,000 on the new charge and no bond on the probation violation and is due in court Jan. 2 and Jan. 14 to answer to the charges.