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Florida man accused of stealing hydrocodone made off with laxatives instead

The man reportedly took two pills but threw the rest out when he learned they weren't hydrocodone.

PINELLAS PARK, Fla. — It apparently didn't take long for a Pinellas County man to learn the pills he was accused of swiping weren't the ones he actually wanted.

Peter Emery Jr., 56, was caught on camera opening a lockbox containing pills, grabbing one labeled "hydrocodone acetaminophen" and taking a few, according to a police report.

When a Pinellas Park police officer confronted him, Emery reportedly admitted to taking two pills but threw the rest in the garbage when he learned they were different pills.

They were Equate over-the-counter gentle laxatives, which are marketed to be "ideal for resolving constipation or minor cases of indigestion."

Emery was arrested Thursday, Jan. 24, and charged with petit theft. Records show he last was convicted of theft in November 2015 and January 2014.

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