A career shoplifter’s days of stealing designer stuff are gone because she is about to go to prison.
Defendant Ernesha Atmore made a profession out of retail stealing.
She has been in and out of prison for stealing thousands of dollars in designer goods, but Florida’s stricter regulations have now caught up with her.
Hillsborough State Attorney Suzy Lopez said a theft captured on film a few years ago may have sealed her fate.
“She performed one of the most blatant thefts I have ever heard of. She went into Sunglass Hut at International Plaza with a soft-sided cooler and purchased approximately $20,000 in designer sunglasses. When the employee asked, “What are you doing?” she responded, “I have a taser.” “And, as you know, a taser is a weapon,” Lopez clarified.
Atmore utilized a soft-sided cooler to steal the sunglasses.
A few days later, Atmore was arrested, and police discovered a large amount of stolen goods in her car.
Because she is a repeat criminal, she now faces harsher punishments and decades in prison. Prosecutors offered her a three-year deal, which she declined. A jury found her guilty and she was recently sentenced to 30 years in jail.
“That’s because the state of Florida has taken a stance on retail theft,” Lopez added.
In recent years, the legislature has stiffened retail theft rules, raising charges from misdemeanors to felonies and adding years to punishments.
But, before being sent away, Atmore had two more theft cases to resolve, including a jewelry store theft in which she attempted to steal a $8,000 ring from the business.
The judge added six months to her sentence. Atmore is presently leaving for 30 years and six months. She will not be free again until she is over 60 years old.