Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Alvaro Antonio Arteaga, 59, was arrested yesterday after allegedly switching tags to pay lower prices on items in at least five transactions over a month.

At about 7:30 a.m. on September 22, a Gainesville Police Department officer responded to the Walmart at Butler Plaza (2900 SW 42nd Street), where the Loss Prevention Officer presented evidence of five incidents in which Arteaga, an employee of the store, had switched tags.

On August 16, he allegedly paid $11.53 for a steak priced at $56.53 and paid $2.82 for a pork roast priced at $29.40.

On August 27, he allegedly selected two bags of nectarines but only scanned one bag, valued at $1.32.

On August 29, he allegedly selected two packages of biscuits but only scanned one, valued at $2.17.

On September 5, he allegedly paid $15.98 for a shirt priced at $39.98 after switching tags.

On September 12, he allegedly paid $6.38 for a package of chicken priced at $15.70, paid $6.09 for ground beef priced at $23.94, and paid $6.11 for steaks priced at $45.91.

All of the incidents were reportedly captured on store surveillance video.

In an interview with store management, Arteaga reportedly said he knew the prices had been switched, but his brother did it.

Post Miranda, Arteaga reportedly denied switching tags but admitted to making the transactions with his bank card; he said his brother had switched the prices, and he told him not to do it because he could suffer the consequences, but he paid for the items, anyway. When he was asked why he hadn’t questioned the obviously low prices on the merchandise, he said he just hadn’t paid attention. He later reportedly changed his story and said he didn’t know about the switched tags until after he had completed the transactions.

Arteaga has been charged with engaging in a scheme to defraud. He has no known criminal history, and Judge Sheree Lancaster set bail at $5,000.

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.