[PHOTO CREDIT: Lake County Sheriff’s Office]
[Original Publish Date: 03/25/21]
CLERMONT, Florida — An employee of a local gas station is facing grand theft and scheming to defraud charges after he was found stealing cash from the business.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded to 7-Eleven, 1635 U.S. Highway 27, Clermont Wednesday after a man reported he was reviewing transactions and video surveillance from January through March and found that an employee was stealing.
According to the complainant, Luis Miguel Martinez-Rivas, 30, was captured on video on multiple occasions ringing a customer up and putting the transaction into “memory” instead of “final sale.” Once the customer left the store, Martinez-Rivas would void the purchase and place the cash from the transaction to the left side of the drawer where the $100 bills were kept, according to the arrest affidavit. He would then pocket the money throughout the night or use it to purchase items for an unknown friend.
A video from March 18, shows Martinez-Rivas, of Clermont, ringing up a customer and moving the cash to the left side of the drawer. The next customer, Martinez-Rivas’ friend, approaches the counter with a gift card and hands it to Martinez-Rivas, who activates the gift card. Martinez-Rivas then pockets his friend’s money and rings up Coors Light beer his friend has and uses the money from the left side of the drawer to pay for the beer. The total amount stolen between January and March was $2,250, the affidavit states.
LCSO went to Martinez-Rivas’ home to question him and he spoke about the complainant’s father, according to the affidavit. He was arrested and on the ride to the Lake County Jail, he told the arresting deputy he was not being paid properly and he needed the money because his son was coming from Puerto Rico.
Martinez-Rivas was booked into LCJ, where he is being held on $7,000 bond.
_______________________________
Our Editor-in-Chief, Marilyn M. Aciego, began writing for Lake Legal News in 2010. Born and raised in Lake County, she is a graduate of Umatilla High School and Lake-Sumter State College. She started her journalism career at LSSC, where she was editor of both student publications, The Angler and The Odyssey. Her professional career began at the Daily Commercial in 2004 where she covered cops and courts the majority of her time there until she left in 2009. Currently, along with being Editor-in-Chief of Lake Legal News, she is the Florida bureau chief for an international media organization. She has made more than two dozen appearances on live national television, including Nancy Grace and the Greta Van Susteren show, along with her appearance on Evil Twins. Contact her with breaking news, tips, and feedback by sending an e-mail to 352Tips@gmail.com. You can also contact us on our Facebook page — and make sure you “Like” and “Follow us” there. [PHOTO CREDIT: Bonnie Whicher]
