Alachua Woman Charged with Stealing Drugs at Work

HIGH SPRINGS ‒ Sheila Ann Symonds, 51, of Alachua, was arrested on Thursday, Sept. 8, and charged with two counts of grand theft of a controlled substance after allegedly stealing Adderall from a co-worker and a bottle of Xanax pills that was inadvertently left behind by a client at a High Springs veterinary practice.

The business owner reportedly told a High Springs Police Department officer that Symonds had taken about 20 Adderall pills from a co-worker’s office and had taken a bottle of 60 Xanax pills that a client had left on the counter at the clinic. Both Adderall and Xanax are controlled substances and are common drugs of abuse.

The business owner provided surveillance video that reportedly showed Symonds going into the co-worker’s cubby three times and taking pills. On one video, the sound of a bottle cap opening and closing can be heard. The video also reportedly shows a client walking out and leaving a bottle of Xanax on the counter; another client gives the pill bottle to Symonds, and two minutes later, the video shows Symonds hiding the pill bottle under receipts. Twenty minutes later, the video shows Symonds hiding the pill bottle in her jacket and then putting her jacket in her own cubby.

Symonds reportedly denied taking any pills and insisted that officers search the parking lot area for the pill bottle. A bottle of pills in the client’s name was found in the dirt near the front of the business; the officer reported that it is unknown how the bottle got there. Officers determined that despite finding the pills, they had sufficient evidence that Symonds had deprived both victims of their medications.

Symonds has 10 felony convictions, including two drug convictions and eight property convictions. She has served three state prison sentences and was most recently released in April 2020.

She is being held on $20,000 bond but will be considered for release on her own recognizance with a requirement for day reporting.

#     #     #

Email cwalker@

alachuatoday.com