LADY LAKE, Florida—A Lake City man suspected of a one-day shoplifting spree at Best Buy stores in Gainesville and Ocala was arrested by Lady Lake Police Department Friday after fleeing from officers in Best Buy parking lot Friday, according to an arrest affidavit.
LLPD responded to Best Buy, 552 North Highway 27/441, Lady Lake to meet with the manager about theft suspects who had already stolen from Best Buy stores in Gainesville and Ocala. The manager believed the suspects were headed to Lady Lake and provided officers with still photos of a white male wearing a white t-shirt, blue jeans and white high-top shoes stealing a laptop. The manager also provided a photo of the suspect leaving in a dark-colored Cadillac sedan with a partial view of the license plate, the affidavit states.
As officers were leaving, they spotted a car matching the suspect vehicle and the license plate matched the partial plate in the photo. A black male exited the driver’s door and a white male, later identified as Clifford Charles Boyette-Carter, 26, exited the passenger door. The pair ran toward Papa John’s and China Max and officers found Boyette-Carter near China Max. He attempted to walk away and was cut off by an LLPD cruiser and when a sergeant started to speak to him, he kicked off his white high-top shoes and fled. Boyette-Carter ran north across Rolling Acres Road, hopped a fence, ran into the Oak Meadows neighborhood, doubled back and again ran toward Rolling Acres Road and then hopped a second fence and ran through the main gate of The Villages Elementary of Lady Lake.
The LLPD sergeant called for the school to be placed on lockdown at 2:15 p.m. while parents were lined up to pick up their children. Boyette-Carter fled down the parent pick-up line and tried to enter an occupied vehicle, according to the affidavit. He continued to flee, hopped another fence and entered the courtyard area, ran through metal doors and ran back toward the parent pickup area. He was finally tackled by a Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputy who responded to assist LLPD. Boyette-Carter was taken into custody and identified himself to officers and deputies. He said he ran because he had warrants from Jacksonville and did not want to be taken into custody.
The laptops allegedly stolen from Best Buy in Ocala and Gainesville were found in the vehicle Boyette-Cater was riding in and he said he really did not know the black male driving the vehicle, but provided his name, the name of the mother of his child and the name of the registered owner of the vehicle, the arresting officer noted.
Boyette-Carter was arrested for resisting arrest, loitering and prowling, trespassing on school grounds and interfering with school administration functions. He is being held in the Lake County Jail on $3,500 bond.
