FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. — Lottery fever is sweeping the nation, with the Mega Millions jackpot currently at $750 million while the Powerball is set at $640 million. Authorities in Florida said a woman took the mania a step too far.
Ersela Evans-Lowe, 27, is accused of stealing $8,700 worth of Florida lottery tickets, WEAR-TV reported. Okaloosa County deputies said Evans-Lowe was also caught inside a stolen vehicle, according to a news release.
On Thursday night, deputies responded to a convenience store in Okaloosa County, where they found Evans-Lowe in a parking lot, sitting in a 2008 Nissan Armada SUV with two flat rear tires and flashing hazard lights, according to the release.
Evans-Lowe was charged with grand theft, possession of lottery tickets not yet played, and grand theft of a motor vehicle, according to online booking records.
Deputies determined the SUV had been stolen earlier Thursday, WKRG reported.
When deputies asked Evans-Lowe to exit the SUV, a black purse fell to the ground, spilling out nearly a dozen packs of wrapped Florida lottery ticket bundles, the sheriff’s office said. Video surveillance later showed Evans-Lowe had stolen the tickets from the convenience store while she was attempting to cash a check. The clerk had been unaware of the theft, according to the news release.