Date: September 24, 2026
Prepared by: Joseph Bober, Public Information Officer
Email: PIO@flaglersheriff.com
Release #: 2026 – 205
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office has arrested two people on multiple felony charges after they made the mistake of attempting to shoplift thousands of dollars of trading cards from a store where deputies were already investigating a separate theft case.
On Sept. 21, a deputy was at Target in Palm Coast investigating a stolen bicycle when he received a call from the store’s loss prevention officer, who reported that a man who was a known shoplifter at other Target locations had been seen entering the store. The suspect was known from previous incidents to enter the store, grab a plastic storage container, steal trading cards, and leave through a side fire exit. The suspect was also known to have an accomplice, as he was observed in prior incidents with a woman driving a black sedan.
The Target employee reported that she observed the man get out of a dark sedan, grab a shopping cart, and pick up a plastic container from the home section, before heading to the trading card wall at the rear of the store. Once there, she saw the man grab multiple boxes of trading cards, place them in the container, and cover them with a lid. The man then slowly walked out of the store.
Deputies observed the man in the parking lot, carrying the container and walking toward a black BMW sedan with a woman in the driver’s seat. As deputies approached, the man placed the container on the ground and ran toward the vehicle. Deputies then initiated a high-risk takedown and took both the man and woman into custody. Deputies later identified the man as Andrew Simmons, 27, and Madeline Whaley, 35, both of Jacksonville.
Inside the container Simmons left on the ground, deputies found 98 packs of sports trading cards worth over $2,500.
98 boxes of shoplifted trading cards recovered by deputies.
Additionally, as deputies were removing Whaley from the vehicle, they noticed crumpled tinfoil with burnt residue near the center console. Upon searching the vehicle, deputies found methamphetamine, fentanyl, and a glass pipe with narcotics residue. Inside a backpack, which was later determined to belong to Whaley, deputies found a handgun. The firearm was confirmed to have been reported stolen in Jacksonville.
Deputies also found Simmons to be a fugitive with four out-of-county arrest warrants. Simmons was wanted in St. Johns County for failure to appear and Clay County for three counts of grand theft.
Deputies arrested Simmons for grand theft, possession of methamphetamine, possession of fentanyl, possession of drug paraphernalia, and his four warrants. Deputies arrested Whaley for accessory after the fact, possession of methamphetamine, possession of fentanyl, possession of drug paraphernalia, use of a firearm during the commission of a felony, grand theft of a firearm, and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. Both were transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility. Simmons is being held without bond. Whaley is being held on a $25,000 bond.
Andrew Simmons and Nicole Whaley (Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility mug shots)
“These two have apparently tried the same exact scheme multiple times in other areas and gotten away with it, but they’re 0-for-1 in Flagler County,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “They picked the wrong store in the wrong county at the wrong time, as unfortunately for them, deputies were literally waiting for them in the parking lot and arrested the thief and his getaway driver before they could even load their stolen trading cards into the car. And on top of that, of course, they had drugs, a gun, and were both fugitives. In this case, they traded their stolen cards for a room at the Green Roof Inn.”
Simmons and Whaley both have previous arrest histories. Simmons has previously been arrested for possession of a Schedule II substance, grand theft, and petit theft. Whaley is a convicted felon who has been previously arrested for possession of fentanyl, driving while license suspended, trespassing, and failure to appear.
