Crime & Safety
Deputies: Man Traded Stolen Walmart Electronics For Drugs
The man had unopened boxes of electronics in his garage and shoved baggies of pills into his waistband when deputies took him into custody, the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office says.
A Sarasota man admitted to stealing boxes of expensive electronics from area Walmart stores over the past few weeks to trade for drugs, authorities said Wednesday.
Deputies identified 37-year-old paralegal Richard Hummel as a suspect in the thefts and went to his home in the 4000 block of Waikiki Drive on Tuesday night. When they got there, his garage door was open, and deputies noticed "multiple unopened boxes of electronics," including two subwoofers, Sony speakers, Pioneer speakers, an amplifier and an audio receiver.
As he was being placed under arrest, Hummel shoved two baggies of pills in the waistband of his pants, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office. Deputies retrieved 9.5 grams of Hydrocodone and Xanax.
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Walmart employees recognized Hummel from another case for which they had a vehicle tag number that deputies used to track him down.
Hummel is charged with grand theft, resisting a property retail merchant, possession of a controlled substance and trafficking in a controlled substance.
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