An Ocala man with several prior theft convictions was arrested for allegedly stealing over $600 worth of merchandise from a local Lowe’s home improvement store.

On Friday, December 20, 2024, a manager at the Lowe’s located at 4600 E Silver Springs Boulevard notified the Ocala Police Department that a male suspect had stolen numerous items from the store.

That same day, an OPD officer responded to the Lowe’s store and was informed that the theft had occurred at around 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 10, 2024. The arrest report stated that the male suspect had stolen nearly $680 worth of merchandise, which included green outdoor cords, Christmas lights, a chainsaw kit, LED lights, and other miscellaneous items.

The officer noted in the report that the store was able to use facial recognition software to positively identify the suspect in this case as 55-year-old Tyron Davis Foster.

According to the report, Foster entered the Lowe’s on the day of the incident at 3:30 p.m. Six minutes later, he was allegedly observed on video surveillance footage exiting the business with the unpaid merchandise.

At the time of the initial theft, Foster was observed on the surveillance footage wearing a black tank top and gray shorts.

Approximately 20 minutes later, Foster re-entered the store while wearing a long-sleeved black shirt and gray sweatpants. He then allegedly grabbed additional items before leaving the store without paying for them, according to the report.

While reviewing the surveillance footage, the officer noted in the report that Foster was seen entering a red Mitsubishi SUV in the parking lot before leaving the area.

A criminal history search of Foster revealed that in Marion County, he was convicted of petit theft in May 2018 and October 2019. He was also convicted of grand theft (over $300 but less than $20,000) in February 2020.

A warrant was issued for Foster’s arrest in connection with the theft incident at Lowe’s. On Saturday, December 21, 2024, Foster was located, placed under arrest, and transported to Marion County Jail, where he is currently being held on a $5,000 bond.

Foster is being charged with grand theft. He is scheduled to appear in court at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, according to jail records.