An Ocala man allegedly conceals stolen Walmart merchandise inside a trash can he is purchasing and swaps a shoe's price tag for a 74-cent fishing bobber.

Marion County deputies say 38-year-old Eric Slaughter bought one trash can at a Walmart on Bahia Avenue in Ocala on July 23, 2024, but walked out with a second trash can that held a stolen $30 solar light and a pair of shoes with its price tag switched to a 74-cent fishing bobber. Surveillance video confirmed Slaughter's involvement, and when deputies asked him about the barcode swap, he admitted, 'That was stupid of me,' though he claimed he did not know the solar light was hidden inside the can. He was charged with felony larceny-retail theft; he has prior theft convictions dating back to 2006.