DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35 ORLANDO) -
Police say thieves stole a $54,000 dollar diamond ring and several gold watches from the Daytona Gold and Diamond Jewelry store.
Daytona Beach police say the woman they mistakenly arrested was not the woman seen in surveillance video, but rather an innocent church-going grandmother named Vivian Brown.
"It was humiliating, yes, embarrassing, humbling, shocking," she says.
Brown spent Tuesday night in jail before bonding out. Two days later police said they put the wrong woman in jail. Daytona Beach spokesman Jimmie Flynt said, "Apparently this has been a case of mistaken indemnity."
Police say they had probable cause to arrest Brown, because a store employee picked her out of a line-up. The employee even gave them a sworn statement, but that was before police had a chance to check out the surveillance video.
Store owner Gus Osta says it took them several days to realize the ring was gone, because the thieves swapped it out with a one-dollar fake ring when the clerk wasn't looking.
"They're selfish, they're greedy, you know they just want to get rich quick. They're lazy to work," he said. "Get off your fat butt and get to work!"
Daytona Beach Police have asked the State Attorney's Office to drop all charges against Brown.
If you have any information on this case call Daytona Beach Police.
