A 70-year-old Florida man, Patrick Francis Mitchell, has been accused of urinating on food at a local Sam’s Club. This alleged conduct led to over $10,000 worth of damages, with Mitchell being charged with criminal mischief and disorderly conduct.
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According to an affidavit obtained by PEOPLE, the incident took place at around 9:49 a.m. on May 30. Mitchell allegedly urinated on an aisle inside a Sam’s Club located in Lady Lake, near Orlando, Florida.
One female customer witnessed the alleged incident, took pictures, and showed them to Sam’s Club employees. The affidavit details that CCTV footage from inside the store recorded the alleged incident.
Furthermore, the document alleges that Mitchel “walked up to two pallets, [faced] the shelf, placed both hands in front of him below the belt line, and stood there for several seconds.” At that time, as per the affidavit, Mitchell’s behavior was “consistent with urination.”
The footage then recorded Mitchell walking through the snack section of the store, sitting for about 10 minutes, and later paying for his items and leaving the Sam’s Club, as per the legal document.
$10K In Damages
Sam’s Club employees evaluated the damage and confirmed that the two pallets were urinated on. Court documents cited by PEOPLE confirmed that a total of 188 cans of Vienna sausage and 345 cans of Spam were contaminated. As a result, all the food was thrown out, resulting in a loss of $10,584.84 in goods.
Local police managed to identify the suspect thanks to the help of a store manager. As Sam’s Club is a membership-only retailer, customers need to present their membership card. The manager provided authorities with the suspect’s name and contact information thanks to information available at Sam’s Club membership portal.
Lake County public records show that Patrick Francis Mitchell was arrested on June 4. According to the Daily Mail, Lady Lake Police Department officers arrested him at his home in The Villages.
He was charged with criminal mischief resulting in over $1,000 in damages and disorderly conduct. During a June 10 court appearance, Mitchell pleaded not guilty to both charges. Later, he was released after posting his $3,000 bond.
Mitchell’s next court appearance is scheduled for June 30.