Lake Wales, FL – Gregory Lewis, the principal of Bok Academy North, was arrested on March 29, 2025, in Winter Haven for petit theft, raising concerns within the local education community.
According to the police affidavit, Lewis was caught committing retail theft at a Walmart located at 7450 Cypress Gardens Blvd. Authorities state that he engaged in “skip-scanning,” a method in which he placed a bag of disposable foam plates over more expensive items at the self-checkout kiosk, only paying for the plates while attempting to leave the store with unpaid goods.
Walmart’s Asset Protection Officer, Danial Morales, witnessed the act and confronted Lewis after he passed the final point of sale. Upon being read his Miranda Rights, Lewis admitted to knowingly committing theft, citing that he had learned the method from friends who had done it before and decided to try it himself. He also confessed to previously using this tactic at the same store.
The items stolen and later recovered included:
- Large pack of light bulbs ($9.83)
- Bacon ($17.96)
- Frozen butterfly shrimp ($8.97) Total stolen value: $37.45
Meanwhile, he did pay for other items, including foam plates ($3.72), breakfast sausage ($4.62), and various other purchases totaling $37.92.
Police confirmed that Lewis had no outstanding warrants or prior convictions for theft. He was cooperative throughout the investigation and was ultimately charged with petit theft (first offense), a second-degree misdemeanor under Florida law. The Lake Wales Charter School Board has yet to issue a formal response regarding his status as principal.
Lewis, who was previously an assistant principal at Ridge Community High School before assuming leadership at Bok Academy North, now faces legal consequences that could impact his career. The community is awaiting further updates on whether disciplinary action will be taken by the school board.
This incident adds to a troubling history of theft-related issues connected to Bok Academy. In 2020, multiple MacBook Air laptops and other equipment were stolen from the school in a burglary investigated by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. Additionally, in 2011, two juveniles were arrested for breaking into Bok Academy and Warner University, stealing laptops and causing significant damages.
As more details emerge, this case continues to highlight concerns regarding leadership and accountability within the local school system.
Stay tuned for further updates as the story develops.
Greg Lewis was promoted to Principal at Bok North in August of 2024.
