[PHOTO CREDIT: Lake County Sheriff’s Office]
[Original Publish Date: 03/19/20]
MOUNT DORA, Florida — A woman who used an online selling application to allegedly steal a car last month was transferred from a jail in Mississippi back to Lake County Tuesday to answer to grand theft auto charges, according to an arrest affidavit.
On Feb. 29, a man who was selling a car on the mobile app “letgo” was communicating with a woman using the username “Kid879,” later identified as Skai Mechele Singleton, 20, who wanted to meet up to test drive the vehicle. She called him and told him she needed to be picked up from Edgewater Circle in Eustis, according to the affidavit.
The victim and his daughter met with the woman and let her drive the car. On the drive, she told the victim she needed to go to the Mount Dora Walmart to get money from her sister to buy the car. The victim agreed and they went to Walmart, the affidavit states.
Singleton told the victim to stay at the car and she went inside; she then called the victim and told him to go to the electronics section and wait for her and, “she would be back in 10 minutes.” The victim waited for a short time and went back outside to find his car missing and then realized Singleton never gave him the key back. He called Mount Dora Police Department and reported the car stolen.
MDPD made contact with Eustis Police Department in an attempt to find the car and EPD advised it had recovered a stolen vehicle at the same address on Edgewater Circle less than a week before and the suspect matched Singleton’s description. EPD provided a photo to MDPD and both the victim and his daughter identified Singleton separately.
On March 1, MDPD viewed video surveillance of Singleton first approaching the wrong car; she realizes her mistake and then finally finds the correct car and drives off. After viewing the video, MDPD provided a photo line-up for the victim and his daughter and they both identified Singleton again. A warrant was issued for Singleton’s arrest on March 6. Since being transferred to the Lake County Jail, a second grand theft charge was added. She is being held on $10,000 bond.
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Our Editor-in-Chief, Marilyn M. Aciego, began writing for Lake Legal News in 2010. Born and raised in Lake County, she is a graduate of Umatilla High School and Lake-Sumter State College. She started her journalism career at LSSC, where she was editor of both student publications, The Angler and The Odyssey. Her professional career began at the Daily Commercial in 2004 where she covered cops and courts the majority of her time there until she left in 2009. Currently, along with being Editor-in-Chief of Lake Legal News, she is the Florida bureau chief for an international media organization. She has made more than two dozen appearances on live national television, including Nancy Grace and the Greta Van Susteren show, along with her appearance on Evil Twins. Contact her with breaking news, tips, and feedback by sending an e-mail to 352Tips@gmail.com. You can also contact us on our Facebook page — and make sure you “Like” and “Follow us” there. [PHOTO CREDIT: Bonnie Whicher]
