Michael Micklon, a 38-year-old Lakeland man who was recently arrested following a lengthy investigation into a prolific theft scheme.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Micklon is facing dozens of charges after investigators linked him to 66 separate thefts at various Publix locations in the Lakeland area over the course of several months.
Key Details of the Case:
- The Scheme: Micklon allegedly utilized a “scan-and-swipe” or “skip-scanning” method at self-checkout lanes. He would scan a few low-value items while bagging more expensive products without paying for them.
- The Investigation: Detectives with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office worked with Publix loss prevention to track the recurring pattern of thefts, eventually identifying Micklon through surveillance footage and transaction records.
- Total Loss: While the exact dollar amount is still being finalized in court records, the sheer frequency of the incidents led to a massive stack of charges, including multiple counts of felony retail theft.
Sheriff Grady Judd noted that Micklon’s persistence was his undoing, remarking that “justice always catches up” to those who think they can outsmart retail security systems repeatedly. Micklon was booked into the Polk County Jail earlier this week.
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FYI – they watch you like a hawk at self-checkout. Toe the line.