A Central Florida man was arrested in a $10,000 grocery store theft scheme.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a Riverview man following an eight-month theft spree targeting multiple Winn-Dixie stores.
44-year-old Julian Mitchell, of Riverview near Tampa, is accused of stealing nearly $10,000 worth of merchandise from Winn-Dixie locations across Hillsborough County.
Surveillance footage captured Mitchell stealing during more than 100 separate self-checkout transactions. Investigators determined Mitchell was manipulating the self-checkout process to avoid paying full price before leaving the store.
Detectives identified this consistent theft pattern at four Winn-Dixie locations throughout Hillsborough County. Investigators also identified Mitchell by the repeated use of the same loyalty number at checkout for each transaction.
Items Mitchell failed to pay full price for included multiple packs of steaks, chicken wings, laundry detergent, diapers, toilet paper, and other grocery items.
The Retail Theft Unit obtained an arrest warrant and took Mitchell into custody.
Mitchell faced charges of: Retail Theft $3,000 or More (two counts), Retail Theft or Coordinated Retail Theft ($750 or More), and Possession of a Controlled Substance.
“This arrest sends a clear message that organized retail theft will not be tolerated in Hillsborough County,” said Sheriff Chad Chronister. “Crimes like this don’t just hurt businesses, they drive up prices for hardworking families at the checkout line. Our Retail Theft Unit works closely with our retail partners to identify repeat offenders, hold them accountable, and protect our community.”
Investigators also determined Mitchell was on active probation, related to a prior Tampa Police Department case.
As a result, Mitchell additionally faced charges of: Violation of Probation — Cocaine (Sale/Manufacture/Delivery), Violation of Probation — Cocaine Possession, and Violation of Probation — Marijuana (Sale/Manufacture/Delivery).
This is an active investigation, according to local law enforcement.
