An orthopedic surgeon who practices in The Villages was arrested after allegedly stealing two expensive bottles of wine hidden inside a gun bag box at the local Costco.
Timothy John Van De Leur, 56, of Ocala, was arrested on the evening of Friday at Costco at Buffalo Ridge Plaza. Van De Leur is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in hip and knee replacements and revisions. He practices with a group that has several local offices, including a location in the Center for Advance Care at Brownwood.
According to an arrest report from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, a loss prevention officer at Costco observed Van De Leur conceal two bottles of Don Melchor wine inside a box for a “Savior Dual Pistol Range Bag”. The wine was valued at $124.99 per bottle. Van De Leur then proceeded to the self-checkout register, where he scanned and paid for the gun bag box but did not pay for the concealed wine before exiting the store…