A Tavares man was arrested for theft after refunding stolen items to buy food with gift cards at Walmart.
Officers responded to Walmart, located at 2501 Citrus Blvd., regarding a retail theft around 2:25 p.m. Tuesday, according to an arrest report from the Leesburg Police Department. A loss prevention associate advised that 42-year-old Christopher Brandon Purvis was trying to return stolen merchandise.
Surveillance footage showed Purvis picking up items throughout the store and putting them in a clear plastic shopping bag. He selected three things worth $68.56 before passing all registers with no intent to pay. He then walked up to the customer service desk and refunded the items using store gift cards, the report said.
Purvis proceeded to come back into the store, select several food items and head to the electronics department. He used the gift cards to pay for his food there, the report said…