Employee Thought She Outsmarted Police — Until Bodycam Rolled

Added: 2026-05-14

[00:00:00]Okay.

[00:00:01]How long has this been going on? At least since September. Okay. We didn't know until Um so she was We have a thing where you can like if you let's say you scan something twice, you can remove one thing.

[00:00:11]>> Right. Um that's how she got caught. Okay. Cuz she scanned something twice, removed it.

[00:00:17]Same customer every single time. Um and then at that point she passed two plants. Um but since then she's passed $5,700 worth of stuff since September.

[00:00:28]Okay. Um she just same customer.

[00:00:31]Uh she claims she doesn't know that customer.

[00:00:34]She claims she does that she agrees that it happened because I did my homework, but she doesn't remember any of it.

[00:00:40]Okay.

[00:00:42]So uh the interesting thing is the other associate that she passed merchandise to works for that customer. Okay.

[00:00:50]Part-time. So but she claims she didn't know that either.

[00:00:56]She was telling me that uh whoever this customer is, corporate's going to be Well, we'll go after them as well.

[00:01:05]All right.

[00:01:06]Uh she actually owns an animal hospital fairly close to here. So I'm assuming that's where all the flooring is. It's huge. It's an animal hospital. But um So that's what she's primarily been taking is flooring. Flooring, paint, and then it's uh the most recent one March 9th was a DeWalt table saw and some tile. So she's obviously renovating something. I don't know if it's a I didn't know if it's a clinic I don't know if it's a clinic or a house or I have no idea.

[00:01:34]Well, it's a not a very expensive renovation then.

[00:01:37]Yeah, not when all your materials are free.

[00:01:40]So I'm just going to go in and let her know that we're terminating her. Okay.

[00:01:42]And then you guys can take it from Okay.

[00:01:44]Real quick In Palm Bay, Florida, a 5-year retail employee became the target of a felony theft investigation.

[00:01:51]The alleged scheme, $5,700 in merchandise. Loss Prevention documented a 6-month pattern of using the point of sale void function to remove scanned items for the same customer every time. Under Florida Statute 812.014, theft of $750 or more is grand theft of the third degree, a felony. Florida law also permits separate thefts under one scheme to be aggregated into a single charge, turning months of small under-rings into one felony case. The benefiting customer allegedly owns a nearby animal hospital. The merchandise pattern, flooring, paint, tile, and power tools, points directly to a renovation.

[00:02:33]I can also take this if you are shopping out here.

[00:02:36]I didn't know if I was talking to you.

[00:02:37]>> No, it's all good.

[00:02:40]We're all the same and you are the the district loss prevention. Okay.

[00:02:45]Uh she also apparently works for something with the school board part-time.

[00:02:50]So, she may be working with you guys, [music] but I don't know if she's working with you guys.

[00:02:53]>> If we're going to teach her, then she's teaching my kids. Right? Hopefully not.

[00:02:57]Is this the real her?

[00:03:01]She doesn't know you're an undercover officer.

[00:03:10]Hey, is your name Elizabeth? Waiter, right?

[00:03:12]>> Yes. Okay, I'm Officer Branch with the Palm Bay Police Department.

[00:03:15]Do you know why I'm talking to you?

[00:03:17]Excuse me? Do you know why I'm speaking with you today? No. Okay. So, um I know that you were just terminated from Home Depot. They ended up calling us uh in regard to what has been going on. Okay.

[00:03:30]Um and basically, I would just like to to ask you if you would like to speak with us.

[00:03:37]Okay. Okay. So, basically, they would like to pursue charges on this. So, I'm just going to read you your Miranda warning. Okay. Okay. If you want to get more comfortable and set your stuff down, you absolutely can. Um but I'll just read you your Miranda warning and then we can go from there, okay?

[00:03:52]You can read them to me. Just that I have my diabetic monitor on my phone and Totally, totally understand that. I'm not going to inhibit you in any way.

[00:04:01]>> and I just need What time is it?

[00:04:05]Uh right now it's about [music] 12:24.

[00:04:07]Oh, I'm okay. Okay. All right. All right. Yeah, you just let me know. Okay.

[00:04:11]Uh do you have automatic um pump or anything? Um no, it's in my bag. Okay.

[00:04:17]All right. So, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to talk to a lawyer and have one present with you while you are being questioned. Okay. If you cannot afford to hire a lawyer, one will be appointed to represent you before any questioning if you wish one.

[00:04:34]You can decide at any time to exercise these rights and not answer any questions or make any statements.

[00:04:41]Do you understand each of these rights that I've explained to you? Yes.

[00:04:44]Having these rights in mind, are you willing to speak with us? Yeah.

[00:04:49]So, in regard in regard to this, I mean, it's reported that you stole $5,700 That's what they're saying. Okay. Well, tell me tell me your side.

[00:05:03]I can't recall their names. He he named some person, random person, that I have no knowledge of and he says that it is ongoing and it was only that particular customer, never anyone else. Okay.

[00:05:15]Before um I keep asking you some questions, do you mind getting your driver's license out on the counter there, please?

[00:05:27]As far as, you know, the things that you're saying you don't call, did they explain to you did they explain to you the the method that you were using to attain certain things?

[00:05:40]>> they're only showing me one customer. I mean, they're pertaining to one particular person that I didn't supposedly be doing this with, I have no recollection of who they are. Okay. What was the method that they were saying that you were using? Um scanning three items and not the rest.

[00:05:59]Um letting things walk out the door.

[00:06:03]I Okay.

[00:06:05]I don't have that practice with anybody, so You don't have that with? Practice with anybody else, supposedly.

[00:06:12]I don't know with the thousands of scans that I do and Right. It's just this one particular person. Okay.

[00:06:18]>> And I don't recollect that person.

[00:06:21]Um >> years have I been employed here?

[00:06:23]When you say you don't recollect that person, this one person has been involved Supposedly.

[00:06:29]>> multiple times.

[00:06:30]>> Multiple times on this um supposedly that I've let go, not rung up, Uh-huh. or, you know, let things go by. Okay.

[00:06:43]And if you don't know this person, but this person has come back multiple times, do you recognize Could you recognize this person? If Yeah, if they would let me know who the person is, yeah. Okay.

[00:06:57]Do you know or remember the items that you According to him, he said flooring, um baseboards, um uh like the wall.

[00:07:10]Uh I think so, he said. Well, I and I'm not necessarily basing it just on what they're saying.

[00:07:17]I want I want you to tell me your side because, of course, we got called here because they called us.

[00:07:23]Um and, you know, what they are reporting is, you know, quite the theft.

[00:07:28]I mean, that's a that's a felony >> That That's what they're saying, yes.

[00:07:31]How long have you been employed with Amazon?

[00:07:34]>> Five years. Five years?

[00:07:35]>> Mhm.

[00:07:36]Have you been in trouble for anything like this before? No. I've worked for a doctor for 15 years.

[00:07:44]And he retired recently back in 2019.

[00:07:48]You worked for who again? A doctor. I was working for a doctor. He was an eye surgeon. He retired and I came to work here.

[00:07:56]So, 5 years. How long have you lived in Palm Bay?

[00:08:00]Uh about 20.

[00:08:04]Do you have any any friends that are currently doing a remodeling?

[00:08:09]No. And my house doesn't need Well, my house needs remodeling, but I haven't uh started any procedure on that yet.

[00:08:16]Okay.

[00:08:17]So, why do you believe that they are saying you're doing this?

[00:08:21]I have no idea.

[00:08:23]If I were to give you a name of someone who supposedly has all of these items, would you tell me if I know them? Mhm. Sure. What's the name of the person? Bobby Butler. No, I don't know a Debbie Butler. That's the name he gave me in there as well. I don't know him.

[00:08:43]Never I have no association with that I've ever met her, don't know what even what she looks like because he didn't show me any of the photos. It just seems a little weird that they, you know, would call us, they'd go through the process >> That's fine. That's it's what they got to do. I mean, I'm not You just seem kind of like nonchalant about it. I would be very upset if I was in your position.

[00:09:03]>> because it's like, you know, I'm I I only work here part-time and you know, I've done the best um my my attendance is spectacular. I'm always here and um they call me, I work, you know, so if this is the way they want to look at something, I mean, I can't help them. Tell them everything that they have to to go through this cuz I work for the school board as well and I tutor children, you know, so I'm going to have to just clear my name because they wanted me to come on board full time. Yeah. And I can't do that now with this. So, I don't know what to say. Yeah. Well, I don't want you to make up anything. I mean, if it's not if it's not true, it's not true. However, based on the things that we have, of course, like we have to we have to take the next step. So, they would like to pursue charges, so you are going to be in custody um for that. Do you have any further questions for me right now? No, really No, I don't know.

[00:10:07]Um is there anyone at home that you need to call or coordinate a a ride with your vehicle?

[00:10:16]Well, I Well, I have a vehicle.

[00:10:19]Um I can meet you at the station whichever way, you know.

[00:10:23]>> No, that's not how it's going to work this time. So, this time you you're coming with us.

[00:10:27]>> Okay. Um but that's why I'm asking if you can call anybody to come get your vehicle or where where are your Where's your insulin at? Uh in Well, I have my Officer Branch makes contact and reads a full Miranda warning.

[00:10:42]Under Miranda versus Arizona, this is required before any custodial interrogation. Lena confirms understanding and agrees to speak.

[00:10:50]From a defense perspective, this waiver is the moment her case becomes significantly harder to win. Lena does not deny the missed scans. She claims memory failure instead.

[00:11:01]Under Florida law, juries can infer intent from a pattern of conduct. When Lena raises a diabetic concern, Officer Branch addresses it immediately, protecting both her safety and the agency from the civil liability under Section 1983. Asked about renovations, Lena denies any, then volunteers that her own house needs remodeling.

[00:11:20]An admission that aligns directly with the merchandise pattern. After Miranda, a suspect has three options: stay silent, ask for a counsel, or waive an answer.

[00:11:32]Lena chose to wave and every word is now in the prosecution's file. The detective notes Lina seems unusually calm for a felony allegation.

[00:11:41]This is a behavior-provoking statement designed to test credibility through reaction. Officer Branch transitions to arrest. Under Florida statute 901.15, probable cause for a felony permits warrantless arrest, a standard the evidence package clearly meets.

[00:11:58]Throughout the arrest, the officer addresses medical needs first, clears the locker with Lina present, and grants her request for front cuffing.

[00:12:08]My bag in there, so I have to go get my insulin at home. Where is your bag? In my locker. In your locker? Okay. So, you haven't cleared out your locker at all yet?

[00:12:19]>> All I need is my bag. It's still in there. All right.

[00:12:22]>> And I left my uh apron there, so I got my meds.

[00:12:26]>> Let's walk to your locker and uh get your bag, okay? Okay.

[00:12:33]This way.

[00:12:34]Lina, do you have your stuff out of your locker? I have Let me put this right in here. Yeah.

[00:12:42]Can we do it outside? So, I'm going to walk right alongside you. I know you've been super respectful, but this is just our policy, okay?

[00:12:50]So, I'm going to cuff you. It's going to be in the front. Really? You're going to embarrass me in front of all of them?

[00:12:55]I'm not going to embarrass you. Okay.

[00:12:57]I'm I'm just So, you want to do it in the front? Just stand here.

[00:13:02]I have to I have to do this, okay? Thank you.

[00:13:22]Okay, I'm super loose, so I'm not going to I'm not going to hurt you, okay?

[00:13:31]This looks familiar.

[00:13:39]268, can you show one female in custody?

[00:13:44]Make sure that my keys are ended up on the Yep, they are. Oh, okay. Just making sure because I didn't know if I left them off on the side.

[00:13:56]Did he say horse?

[00:13:58]Okay.

[00:14:07]Just put your hands It's not not the most comfortable.

[00:14:14]Okay.

[00:14:17]What's that? I'll check all the stuff out. Thank you.

[00:14:20]All right. All right, just raise your right hand for me. Swear you'll tell me the truth, all truth, nothing but the truth? Yes. You understand lying is bad?

[00:14:26]The what?

[00:14:26]>> Lying is bad. Lying is bad, is it? Lying is bad. You All right, we'll agree lying is bad.

[00:14:30]>> go.

[00:14:31]>> [laughter] >> The lessons from this encounter are direct.

[00:14:35]First, Miranda is not a formality. The right to silence and the right to counsel exist precisely because untrained suspects damage their own cases when they speak. Second, memory failure is the worst defense in a documented pattern case.

[00:14:48]Each I don't remember reads as deception when the records show otherwise. Third, character history, employment, tutoring, community involvement may help at sentencing, but it almost never decides guilt.

[00:15:04]Don't substitute reputation for a defense. Fourth, by the time loss prevention calls police, the case is usually already built. Speaking without counsel only adds your own words to that file. Lena was transported to booking.

[00:15:17]The applicable charge is grand theft of the third degree, punishable by up to 5 in state prison and a $5,000 fine.

[00:15:25]Officer Branch earns an A- minus for textbook Miranda procedure, medical accommodation, and professional arrest conduct.

[00:15:34]Lena earns a D plus, a reflection of strategic errors, not a verdict on guilt. Let us know in the comments below what interaction or legal topic you'd like analyzed next.

[00:15:44]Thank you for watching and check out our second channel, Street Body Cam, for more police interaction and courtroom content.