On July 18th, 2024, deputies in Flagler County identified two suspects connected to a retail theft in Palm Coast. The investigation soon led them to a tent behind a residence in Bunnell. When deputies arrived, employees began explaining how the theft had happened. He came back in. He was like, "Oh, I think I lost my EBT card." Okay. So, I was like, "Okay, well, where'd you go?" So, he's like, "Oh, I was over by the meat." And then, I saw him in this corner. So, I was like, "Okay, you go back there and look. I'll look over here and look." And then, he's like, "Oh, I can't seem to find it." And then, I was like, "Okay, well, let me" He did give me a name that It's like, "Oh, if you find the EBT card, can you let me know?" So, I did have her name written down and her phone number. I don't know if that's his name or not, but I do have a name written down. Okay, where do you have that written down at? Uh I gave it to customer service. It was like John He said it was John Sims. Sims? >> Like he said said it was S I M E S. Did you say John Sims? Yeah. That's the same guy that Uh hey. That phone number He's trespassed from this Dollar General. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. He's He's trespassed from everywhere on But, that's not who You lined to the exact spot. >> in the car for about 25 minutes. And then, they moved the car over one lane next to the white SUV. And that's eventually when the guy comes out and they talk. And then, they both come in at the same time. >> cart was already here. So, we're not entirely sure if it's the cart that he shop. I didn't get that far. But, while he was looking for an EBT card, they Caleb found that uh cart. Yeah, I found the cart sitting all the way down at the end by by the last register. So, I was like, "Well, that's weird. What's that cart just sitting here for?" So, I took it and I brought it up here cuz you know, that's where we put our carts. >> So, it was by the register? >> It was past register six on the other side where nobody's going. All the way past that the end. You can tell they were both being cautious cuz they both went out the exit and they both went all the way around in the parking lot to get to the vehicles. You can tell they were both trying to be very cautious. After receiving the report from the store, deputies quickly tracked down the woman and the man where they were staying. Hey, seriously, I want you to step out of the tent. Uh-oh. Show me your hands. Step out. I ain't got no clothes on. Huh? I ain't got no clothes on. Okay, put your clothes on. Willie, who else is in there with you? It's him and uh female. Yeah. What happened? I'll explain to you in a sec. When did you guys come back here in? Yeah. Put them on. Put your hands on. What's going on, sir? Just step right over there. Come on. What is this thing? Willie, come this way. Step up there for me. What did you just put up under there? What did you just put up under there? Huh? What did you just put up under there? This. I put it on my fingers. I didn't do >> All right. Well, you just put something up under that shirt or whatever. Come out here. No, no. The shirt over there. Come over here. Step out of there. What did you just put up under that red shirt? >> I didn't. I put it on him so I wanted him to put it on so I know that he's wearing >> Step over I don't know. Chocolate milk? I don't know. I don't Lighter? Can I put the shirt on, please? Yeah, where's your shirt? Over there. Do you got his pants for me, Michelle? Which ones Which ones are his pants? Yeah. They were his pants he wore >> [snorts] >> It's a probation violation for the child abuse thing or child No, like what you originally got arrested for. You're on probation. It's I don't know. We don't know the violation reason. Do you know who the investigating officer is for that thing? Yeah, he's on night shift. Yeah, he'll stand by. He'll grab them with you. Do you want to walk over there with him, Mike? He's going to get you some She's going to get you some shorts, brother. Over here. Stand, it's right behind. Over here. It's a bucket. Are these your clothes? No, it's laundry detergent. You don't need them? Let me see those real quick. He's just going to check them, make sure they're not contraband, okay? What's your name? It was Michelle, right? >> Yes. Can you Whenever he's done with that, can you step back over here for me? All right. Look, I got to talk to you about something, okay? So, part of the reason we're here is that I'm assuming that's part of it, all right? >> It's from Food Bank. Huh? Food Bank. Food Bank, okay. Well, you're on video last night at Winn-Dixie stealing from there. Well, pushing a shopping cart full of stuff out, all right? So, just listen to me real quick, all right? The only reason I'm reading you this cuz you're not free to go, okay? So, you have the right to remain silent and anything you say can be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to talk to a lawyer, have him or her present with you while you're being questioned. If you cannot afford to hire a lawyer, one will be appointed to represent you before any questioning if you wish. You can decide at any time to exercise these rights and not answer any questions or make any statements. Do you understand each of these rights I explained to you? Mhm. Okay. Um where is the stuff that we took yesterday? Can we try to get it back over at Winn-Dixie? Huh? I don't even know. Because I mean, this is all the stuff that was in the cart. That's you and Willie. So, we got this today. And then, we ran Willie. Willie obviously has a VOP warrant. And then, we come here and find you two. So, where is this stuff like the Tide laundry detergent and I don't know. What do you mean? Did it disappear? Were you stealing for someone else? Did they give you a list to go in and take? No, I I don't know. Um I don't know. I just I grabbed the buggy. I just grabbed the grab buggy. I just grabbed the buggy. Who called it grab the buggy? Who told you to grab the buggy? Who was the other guy with you cuz there was two males, right? No. It was just one? Just me and Just you and Willie? Who gave you a ride up there? We rode bikes. No, you're in a car. They got you in a car, black car. And I have the tag. No, I don't know who that person was. >> Michelle, you know who it is. I don't really I don't know who it is. Come on. Don't say bikes. Like, look. We've already done a lot of this before we got here. So, let's knock off kind of the nonsense, okay? Like, you're not going to be arrested right now. I guarantee that right now, okay? Because the investigating deputy, they're off. They work night shift, okay? So, right now, you are not going to be arrested coming with us, okay? But, it's going to be up to the investigating deputy on what how they proceed from here. Have you been arrested before for shoplifting? No, I'm on probation as well. You're on probation? >> Yeah, and if I get in trouble, then they said I'll never get my >> Misdemeanor or felony? Felony. All right. Well, the problem with that is Take back what I just said. I didn't realize you're on probation. Okay, that might change things a little bit. What did he do? Willie. Where is that necklace at? Oh, it's in my purse. It's in your purse? Yeah, my keys are in my purse. So, this is you. You were there last night? And that's Willie? Yeah. I mean, you already said it was that you got Willie. I didn't realize you're on probation. You're on felony or misdemeanor, you said? >> Felony. Do you know where any of this stuff is that we could try to get back to Winn-Dixie? >> I really don't. I have no idea. Do you guys sell it by any chance anymore? I have no idea. I know what's common is that people kind of give shopping lists and then you go and you boost it and you give it to them and they give you money for it. Is that what happened? I don't know. Well, I mean I would expect I would expect $800 worth of stuff to be laying around here. Yeah, I don't All right. I I wasn't here to get $800 worth of stuff. It was It's mostly food. Okay, where's all that at, you know? No. Is that part of it? >> No, that's from Food Bank. It legit is from Food Bank? Yeah, see the sticker. Yeah. Do you have a history shoplifting? No. You've never been arrested for it? No. I've only been in trouble one time ever and it was um for my kids. So, y'all just did this cuz you were hungry? You didn't need something? Hungry, yeah. We need We need to be able to, you know, have hygiene for ourselves, get something to eat. Did you Did you consume those stuff stuff you took last yesterday already? The food part. Okay. What'd you do with the other ones? That I don't know. I I I stay right here. Is it inside the tent? No, this is where I hang out. Like I'm mostly always in the tent. I don't come out unless I'm going with my dogs and stuff. Someone gives them a list, they go pick it up. They give them money for it. Did you sell any to anybody yesterday? I don't do anything. Okay. Okay. But that's what >> even know any people anybody around here. >> I know, but that doesn't make sense is what you're saying. That's like if the shopping cart Winn-Dixie is saying it's like $800 worth of stuff. So, where would it go? I understand the food and stuff, but like the the laundry detergent and pods that are in there. They have to be somewhere if they're staying with you. Unless you stole it for someone else. I just I just grabbed stuff. Like I grabbed the grabbed the the buggy. So, you're saying Willie gave you told you to push grab the buggy and you just pushed the buggy out. Did you ever receive for the stuff? >> No. Did you pay for it? I only paid for some of it cuz he had his food stamp card. So, you did pay for some of it at Winn-Dixie? Yeah, I know he paid for some of it cuz he had his food stamp >> Who paid for it? Willie did. Willie did. Okay. All right. Let me go pull the report and see if I can read it real quick. So, are you good to stay out? So, I just read the report since it was a night shift's case, all right? So, it looks like you pushed one cart out. You met him in the parking lot. You guys loaded everything in the black trunk, the car the the the trunk of the black car. And then you guys said something and then both you guys went back in the store. The other cart that he had been pushing around, they said that they had moved it. So, you went around looking for it. You found it, looked inside of it, saw everything that was still in there and then you stole you walked out with that one. While he said he lost his EBT card and gave the name John Simon or that. Like So, it's two different cart fulls of stuff. It's not even just one. Yeah? Do you have anything to say? I mean >> I'm about to go ahead and pull that fifth. Okay. I got you. All right, then we got to just put your hands behind your back for me, all right? Oh man, no cigarettes? No, no cigarettes right now. Um if you want Deputy Blake can grab that for you, but that's up to her. I'll get you a cigarette. You've been cool with me. I'll get you a cigarette. No, not yet. No, she's 15. Yeah. But it's we'll reopen our other case number one. Yeah. If you want to just watch her and I'll grab her cigarette. I'm just trying to find the case number. I got it. Where they at? Right there in the other side right in the ashtray. There's like two like two brands. I don't know what that is in the back. Chocolate? Yeah, there's chocolate. Any 60 total? Um if you would say please. Laying on chocolate? Yeah. Okay. Actually, no. It's even chocolate and I thought 60 chocolate each. Can you reactivate 61812 for me, so far? I'll be honest with you. I'm not seeing a lighter in here, though. The lighter was on the blanket. Okay. Which one? There's like 12 I don't know. He saw it when he Can you write that down? Adult male and adult female are going to be 10-15 on that and I'm going to need two additional VOP case numbers in the notes for me, please. You have uh those are your slides. Can you put those Crocs on? Mhm. All right. Let's walk out that way a little bit so we can get away from all these mosquitoes. Do you want? I don't know. I'm not taking it. Yeah, you're going to have to try. Look, kitty. Yeah, there's like 12 of them out here. Kittens? Yeah. All right. Give me my purse. Where's your purse at? Which one is it? Oh, I got it in Where is it? Do you want to go with you? It's okay. I just I don't want to lose it cuz it's got my keys and All right, but where's your purse at? That's what he's asking where it is. If you go show him. >> Yeah, I really don't know. That's what it was like I thought I saw it like laying over there. I didn't see anything in the tent. Do you need me to transport? Yes, please. Thank you. Willie Lee London and Michelle Sophia were later arrested and charged in connection with a retail theft totaling more than $857. Both suspects were transported to the Flagler County Inmate Facility following the arrest. If you enjoy real-world policing counter breakdowns like this, make sure to like and subscribe.