U-Haul van used in Walmart theft; 4 suspects arrested

Lee County Sheriff's deputies responded to a theft incident at the Walmart in North Fort Myers on Dec. 22. The suspect used a fake receipt to steal a generator and two KitchenAid mixers before fleeing in a U-Haul van.

Deputies began investigating the case and worked with Walmart's loss prevention team to identify the suspect. Then, the following day, the U-Haul van returned to the parking lot.

Deputies detained both the getaway driver and the female passenger in the van, while the suspect and another accomplice were inside the store, preparing to steal once again. At least one of them was wearing the same clothes from the previous day.

Walmart's loss prevention team followed the suspects inside. They were identified as 28-year-old Dontavius Powell from Miami Gardens and 30-year-old Erwin Staco from Lehigh Acres. Meanwhile, Lee County Sheriff's deputies waited outside.

"They don't know. They're at the store, they're doing their thing inside, getting ready to steal, and we have the entire perimeter locked down," said Sheriff Carmine Marceno with the Lee County Sheriff's Office.

When Powell exited the store, deputies attempted to arrest him, but he fled on foot. Deputies used a Taser to take him into custody.

Immediately following this, Staco exited the store and also tried to escape, but deputies tackled and apprehended him.

"The message is clear, you don't come from other places to Lee County. You come to Lee County, we are going to absolutely get you, and we're going to incarcerate you, and we're going to charge you to the fullest extent of the law. I have zero tolerance," said Marceno.

During this operation, deputies also recognized 31-year-old Domonique Golden from Miami, who was the passenger in the U-Haul van. She was identified as a suspect in thefts at the Estero Walmart a few days earlier, arrested and charged with grand theft.

Powell was also found to be involved in the previous theft at the Estero Walmart, where they stole multiple generators. He faced two counts of grand theft and one count of petit theft.

Staco was charged with petit theft and resisting without violence.

37-year-old Marcus Hammett, the U-Haul getaway driver, was arrested for violating probation, as he was on active felony probation for retail theft in Miami.