A 38-year-old Ocklawaha woman with several prior theft convictions was arrested over the weekend after she was accused of stealing nearly 200 individually wrapped bags of M&M’s from a convenience store in Marion County.
On Saturday, March 9, a Marion County Sheriff’s Office corporal responded to the Circle K located at 14870 S U.S. Highway 441 in Summerfield in reference to a theft incident. A manager had advised that a bulk box of M&M’s had been stolen from a hallway near the restrooms, according to the arrest report.
Upon arrival at the convenience store, the corporal reviewed video surveillance footage which showed a female suspect, later identified as Crystal Anne Clark, walking into the restroom at around 10:48 p.m. on Thursday, March 7. When Clark exited the restroom, the corporal noted that she proceeded to pick up one of the boxes before pushing it out of the store through a side exit door.
The report stated that Clark then purchased several beverages, including a case of beer, before exiting the store. On the footage, Clark was then observed retrieving the box of M&M’s and placing it in her vehicle before leaving the parking lot.
In the report, the corporal noted that a total of 192 individually wrapped bags of M&M’s, valued at nearly $324, were stolen.
The corporal utilized multiple law enforcement databases and observed Clark’s vehicle, a black Chrysler 200, driving in the area of the convenience store at the time of the theft. The report stated that Clark’s driver’s license photo was then compared to the convenience store’s video surveillance footage, and the corporal identified her as the theft suspect in this case.
On Sunday, March 10, Clark agreed to meet the corporal at the MCSO South Multi-District Office for an interview. After being read her Miranda rights, Clark admitted to stealing the box of M&M’s from Circle K, according to the report.
During the post-Miranda interview, she further claimed that an unknown man had told her about the boxes of M&M’s and had offered to pay her for it. The corporal noted that Clark admitted to stealing one of those boxes and giving it to the unknown man in exchange for $50 in cash.
A criminal history search of Clark revealed that she has two prior convictions of petit theft in Marion County, in 2011 and 2015.
Clark was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail. She was released the following day after posting a $2,500 bond, and she is being charged with second-degree petit theft (third or subsequent offense).
A court date has not been scheduled yet, according to jail records.