A man who tried to steal from a store was caught after he fled because he dropped his wallet at the scene, St. Petersburg police say.
According to arrest affidavits, Ryan Aaron Davis, 32, went to Lowe's Home Improvement, 2365 25th St. N., St. Petersburg, and took a 5-gallon bucket of paint and a 25-pound box of screws, total value $208.49, into a shopping cart. He then tried to walk out the store with the items without paying.
The store's loss prevention officer was alerted and confronted Davis, the affidavit said. The officer asked Davis to come back into the store, but Davis resisted him. The officer let him go, and Davis left without the items.
He also left his wallet behind, with his ID inside.
Police were able to track him down and arrested him.
Davis has been charged with retail theft and resisting a merchant.
He has also been charged in an April 19 incident at the same Lowe's in which he allegedly took $223.09 in merchandise off the shelf, then took it straight to the returns desk and asked for a refund. He got a merchant credit card with the value of the merchandise.
He was identified because he used his ID card during the return and was seen on store surveillance.
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