Police officers scrambled to an Ocala Wal-Mart earlier this week after receiving reports of a retail theft in progress.

When officers arrived late last Sunday night, they spoke with the loss prevention officer while waiting outside the store, located at 4980 E Silver Springs Blvd. He told officers that he had seen a man later identified as 33-year-old Jonathan Patrick Lucas removing tags from multiple pieces of clothing and putting them on over his clothes, an Ocala Police report states.

The loss prevention officer also said that a 34-year-old woman was spotted inside the store with Lucas, but the two had split up and he didn’t believe the woman had stolen any items.

Lucas, on the other hand, had put on a pair of Walmart shoes, multiple pairs of shorts, shirts, belts, etc. The loss prevention officer said he eventually took off several pieces of the clothing but kept the shoes and several pairs of shorts, the report says.

The woman eventually left the store and officers issued her a trespass warning at the request of the loss prevention officer. She was then told to leave the property, which she did on foot, the report says.

Lucas, who hadn’t paid for the clothing, eventually sat down by an exit. He appeared to be looking for the woman, so the loss prevention officer told him that she had been trespassed due to suspicion of retail theft, the report says.

Lucas then got up and walked out of the store, where the officers were waiting for him. He was told he was being detained on suspicious of retail theft, placed in handcuffs and taken back inside the store to the loss prevention office.

After being read his rights, Lucas said that he recently had been released from the Sumter County Jail – he was being held on four drug charges – and was homeless. He said he needed some clothes and the other items he planned on selling, the report says.

Officers then had Lucas remove the stolen items, which included Athletic Works memory foam shoes ($9.98), George shorts ($16.97), George swim trunks ($7), Wrangler shorts ($15.92) and Activewear boxer briefs ($9.96). All told, the merchandise was valued at $59.83 before taxes, the report says.

Officers then watched a portion of an in-store surveillance video that “clearly” showed Lucas putting on “multiple” pairs of shorts. Officers issued him a trespass warning and then ran a criminal background check, which showed two prior theft convictions, Nov. 13 and June 13 of last year after being arrested by Leesburg Police officers.

Lucas was transported to the Marion County Jail early Monday morning and charged with retail petit theft (third or subsequent offense). He was being held on no bond and is due in court Aug. 6 at 9 a.m. to answer to the charge.