A 37-year-old Ocala man is behind bars after a local thrift store accused him of entering the business while “fully nude” and stealing a shirt.
On Wednesday, two Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the 3300 block of SE 58th Avenue in Ocala in reference to a nude man running into the Wings of Faith Fellowship Thrift Store.
Multiple individuals had called the sheriff’s office to report that a naked man, later identified as Michael Da Costa, was running around the area and into the thrift store where the incident occurred, according to the arrest report.
The deputies gathered information at the scene and learned that Da Costa was wearing glasses and had a pair of blue shorts with him when he fled the scene. The report stated that Da Costa was soon located in the 2800 block of SE 58th Avenue, and he was wearing blue shorts and a T-shirt.
Da Costa told the deputies that he “ran away from somewhere naked” and went into the thrift store to “gather some clothes.” He stated that he received a pair of shorts from the business, though he admitted that he did not pay for the shirt that he was wearing, according to the report.
A clerk at the thrift store told the deputies that Da Costa had “entered the business fully nude” and asked for clothing. The report stated that Da Costa was given a pair of shorts, and he was told to leave the premises.
Prior to exiting the store, Da Costa ran to the back of the business while holding the shorts in his hand. The clerk advised that Da Costa was “acting erratic” and made no effort to cover his genitalia, according to the clerk’s statement in the report.
The clerk stated that Da Costa proceeded to grab a shirt off the clothing rack, and he left the store while remaining “completely naked.” The report stated that the shirt was valued at $5.
The deputies also spoke with a manager at the thrift store who gave a similar statement, according to the report.
Da Costa was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail, where he is currently being held without bond. He is facing the following charges: second-degree petit theft (first offense), indecent exposure of sexual organs, and violation of probation.
A court date has not been scheduled yet, according to jail records.