Winter Haven Man Charged In Lowe’s Theft Spree
WINTER HAVEN, FLA November 12 2021 A Winter Haven man who has been charged with more than 80 crimes and imprisoned five times during his life was arrested again this week and faces charges stemming from a series of thefts from area Lowe’s stores, police said Wednesday.
Charles Levin, 62, was arrested on Tuesday by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office after the department was contacted by Lowe’s security officials. Levin was either suspected of the thefts or arrested following incidents at the stores which took place between August and October, police said.
On Oct. 29, police said Levin was arrested by Winter Haven police after he was caught trying to steal a generator and a rug from the Winter Haven Lowe’s store. He bonded out the next day.
On Oct. 21, Lowe’s security received a report of a stolen trailer from the chain’s Auburndale store. Police said that surveillance video picked up images of Levin attaching the trailer to a white Toyota Highlander. The trailer, which was worth $969, was then used to steal a $2,000 riding lawn mower from the front of the store, police said.
On Oct. 5, Lowe’s security officials said that Levin was seen taking $428 worth of power tools and loading them into a white Highlander, which he left the store in. The incident followed after police said Levin loaded a shopping cart full of $550 of merchandise at the Winter Haven Lowe’s and attempted to leave without paying. He was stopped by security but left the store after being stopped, police said.
Levin, who has three previous theft convictions in 1990, 1995 and 2001, has been charged with three counts of felony petit theft. Police said that Levin has been previously 34 felonies, 47 misdemeanors and has been sent to state prison five times.
“This suspect is the prime example of why our agency has an Organized Retail Crime Unit.
We work hand-in-hand with asset protection and loss prevention personnel at stores all over the county — they are the eyes and ears in the stores, giving us the information we need to make cases against organized retail crime,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said in a news release. “Retail theft affects everyone — it drives up costs for retailers and consumers.”
