Fugitive arrested for shoplifting, said Xanax made her steal

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Shaina Lynn Rentz, 39, was arrested yesterday for shoplifting; she is on probation out of Marion County and was listed as a fugitive by the Florida Department of Corrections after she failed to appear at two hearings for violating probation.

At about 10:45 a.m. on March 27, Rentz reportedly entered Target (3970 SW Archer Road), selected a pair of sandals, and put them on, placing her own shoes on the bottom rack of her shopping cart. She then walked around the store for about three hours, selecting merchandise that included clothes, jewelry, and makeup. She reportedly concealed the jewelry and makeup in bags that she had brought into the store, went to the front of the store, paid for one shirt valued at $25, purchased a drink at Starbucks, and then walked out of the store.

A Target Loss Prevention Officer stopped her outside the store, and a Gainesville Police Department officer escorted her to the loss prevention office.

Post Miranda, Rentz reportedly admitted to stealing merchandise valued at $135.78 but said she had taken Xanax, which “makes people steal.”

The officer reported that Rentz has a significant drug addiction and had been awake since the previous day.

A search incident to arrest reportedly produced foil with drug residue and several homemade “pipes” that were used to smoke methamphetamine.

Rentz has been charged with petit theft and possession of drug paraphernalia; she was also booked on a warrant out of Marion County for violating probation on two drug charges, and she was listed as a fugitive by the Department of Corrections after she missed two hearings in Marion County for violating probation. Her full criminal history is unavailable, but she has a non-extraditable warrant out of Georgia for failing to appear at a hearing there, and she has at least two felony convictions (non-violent) and three misdemeanor convictions (non-violent) in Florida. Judge Luis Bustamante set bail at $10,000 on the new charges.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.