VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — A Lake County woman was arrested Tuesday, accused of stealing nearly $15,000 worth of fireworks from her job.
Volusia County deputies were called to the Four Seasons Fireworks store Monday to look into a theft report.
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According to the sheriff’s office, the store’s owner was contacted by another employee days earlier who said one of the managers, identified as 33-year-old Jessica Clark, had asked for help loading a large amount of fireworks into her car.
Deputies say the next day, the owner of the store was watching as Clark and the other employee loaded Clark’s car with fireworks. The store owner interrupted them and the fireworks were ultimately returned to the store.
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According to her arrest report, Clark came back the next day and willfully turned over another carload of fireworks that she had previously stolen.
On Tuesday, the store owner again contacted deputies to report that Clark had arrived at the business yet again with her car full of stolen fireworks for a third time. That’s when deputies say the store owner chose to press charges against her.
After interviewing Clark, deputies say she admitted to stealing and returning the fireworks, saying she planned to sell them second-hand to help pay off a large amount of debt.
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According to the Sheriff’s Office, the total value of the three different loads of fireworks stolen by Clark was more than $14,000.
Clark was arrested Tuesday and charged with grand theft of more than $10,000 but less than $20,000. She’s since been released from the Volusia County jail after posting $5,000 bond.
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