CRAWFORDVILLE, Fla. (WTXL) - A Crawfordville business owner has been arrested, accused of playing a major role in an organized ring of thieves.
Sylvia "Dee Dee" Pritchard, who owns Wakulla Gold Buyers and Lighthouse Lady Cleaning Service, was arrested Thursday by the Wakulla County Sheriff's Office.
She faces charges of organized dealing in stolen property and dealing in stolen property.
A search warrant executed at her at her Crawfordville residence resulted in investigators recovering a number of stolen items.
The investigation began following the thefts of multiple bicycles from the Walmart in Crawfordville, during which a thief’s depiction was captured by video cameras.
Wakulla County citizens helped identify the thieves when investigators posted screen shots of a theft on Facebook and requested assistance.
Investigators identified three other associates to the bicycle thief who assisted with the theft on that date.
The thieves admitted to participating in the crimes and also explained Pritchard's role in the thefts.
The investigation revealed that this bicycle theft was not a "typical" retail theft was one of multiple retail thefts committed by an organized group of thieves working with one another on behalf of Pritchard, WCSO said on Facebook.
Pritchard reportedly provided a shopping list of items to be stolen to one of multiple thieves, who would steal the items.
Pritchard paid the thieves in cash based on half of what the retail price would have been for the stolen items.
At Pritchard's residence, investigators seized four bicycles, a Disney Cinderella 24-volt Kids electric car valued at $398, household supplies, pet food, portable electronic hardware and personal hygiene products.
Pritchard was booked them both into the Wakulla County Jail.
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