Repeat Shoplifter Caught After Fleeing Scene And Leaving His Wallet Behind
Ryan Aaron Davis went into a St. Petersburg Lowe’s Home Improvement Store and did a little five-finger discount shopping. He filled his cart and proceeded to walk right out the door without paying, but he was stopped by the store’s loss prevention officer and then released without the items. There is a chance he would have gotten away with his shoplifting venture if he hadn’t made the mistake of leaving his wallet and driver’s license behind.
This mistake linked him to not only one, but two shoplifting crimes.
That big hiccup in his shoplifting attempt led the police to identify him. With the help of store cameras, police were able to tie him to a different incident at the same store earlier this month. In the separate incident, Ryan took $223.09 worth of items off the shelves and immediately took them to the customer service desk for a refund. He was issued the refund in the form of a Lowe’s gift card.
It turns out, that pesky Driver’s License got him again. He used his ID to return the stolen merchandise, so when he came back for a second trip and dropped his wallet, he was matched to the prior incident and his ID was the smoking gun.
Davis’s latest thievery totaled $208.49. He attempted to steal a 25-pound box of screws and a bucket of 5 gallons of paint. It’s unclear what he stole from the shelf and returned during his prior trip.
Thanks to the loss prevention officer, Davis didn’t get away this time. He saw Davis leaving the store and called out to Davis to come back, but Davis resisted. Finally, the officer let him go and the store kept the items.
That would have been the end of it if Davis had not dropped his wallet, containing his ID and more than likely his address. According to WTSP, police were able to find him. He is being charged with resisting a merchant and retail theft.
Shoplifting suspect caught after he drops wallet, St. Pete police say https://t.co/Wgbf39kCkn pic.twitter.com/9LeHgOXSjQ
— Brandon Thompson (@brandonpromo) April 29, 2018
Media outlets have speculated whether or not Davis would have been charged with anything at all if he kept his wallet in his pants when he fled the scene.
