JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters was at the right place at the right time on Wednesday while he was shopping at the Home Depot on Atlantic Boulevard.
JSO said the 55-year-old sheriff was picking up an order at the customer service counter with retired detective Clem Nieto when an employee flagged him down.
A man was attempting to leave with roughly $500 worth of tools, according to an arrest report
“When I know about something like that, we’re gonna act. It doesn’t happen very often, but it happens,” said Waters.
The 40-year-old suspect ran off through the parking lot, and Waters and Nieto went after him.
“I ended up pushing him down to the ground, got on top of him, took control of him,” Waters said. “He fought, not like he was trying to hurt me. He was flailing on his arms, trying to get away. He wanted to push away and get up. Wouldn’t allow him to do that.”
Waters and Nieto eventually subdued and arrested the suspect together.
“Got him into custody, walked him over and put him inside the police car,” Waters said. “Found out that he tried to steal about $500 worth of merchandise. And he also has two outstanding warrants or had two outstanding warrants, one for petty theft and one for felony theft.”
News4JAX is not naming the suspect because of the nature of the charges, which include retail theft and resisting without violence.
“They’re going to book him on his two warrants. Like I said, one for petty theft and one for felony theft, and then the theft today,” Waters said. “And we’ll see, he’ll answer to a judge, and we’ll see where it goes from there.”
Waters said making the arrest felt like a natural response, regardless of his title.
“You throw litter out of a car, you steal out of the store, I didn’t stop being a policeman when I got elected sheriff,” he said. “So I’m always going to do what I need to do for the folks out here.”