Teen arrested, accused of stealing pallets from Publix to resell to local farmers
By Zach Scott
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CAPE CORAL, Florida (WBBH) — An Immokalee teen was arrested after being accused of stealing pallets from Publix in Cape Coral to sell to local farmers.
On Tuesday, May 14, officers say they pulled around the back of a Publix while on patrol before observing two males loading bue pallets onto a trailer connected to a white pickup truck.
Officers say the two males spotted them and immediately stopped loading pallets, got into their truck and started driving off.
Officers initiated a traffic stop on the truck for not having a license plate. The driver was identified as Nathan Avalos, 19, who said he lost the tag to the trailer.
Avalos stated he was “fixing the pallets.” Officers asked if they were his, to which he said “yes.”
According to reports, Avalos eventually told officers the pallets were not his. Instead, he was taking them to sell without permission from Publix.
The passenger was reportedly a juvenile and was charged with loitering and prowling.
Reports say 34 pallets were stolen in total. The value of each is estimated between $25-$80.
Further investigations revealed that Avalos had come from Immokalee. Avalos stated he sells the pallets to farmers in Immokalee for $2.50-$3.
Both Avalos and the passenger acknowledged that this was not the first time they had stolen pallets.
Reports say they stole pallets from a Walmart in Fort Myers earlier in May.
Avalos was charged with one count of loitering and prowling, one count of grand theft and one count of dealing in stolen property.
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