Dollar General shoplifting suspect takes Uber to steal from store: Grady Judd

Uber driver leads deputies to shoplifting suspect

A Florida man accused of shoplifting from a Dollar General Store has been arrested thanks to an Uber driver who felt something was not right and told deputies where he dropped him off.

HAINES CITY, Fla. - An Uber driver helped Polk County deputies catch a suspected shoplifter.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said Michael Marrero, 32, of Haines City, recently went to the local Dollar General Store, grabbed a basket, started shopping, and walked out of the store.

"The dude walked out of the store without paying," Judd stated.

According to the Polk County Sheriff's Office, a clerk at the store video recorded Marrero as he got into a Ford Fusion that drove away. Then the clerk called the sheriff’s office.

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A few minutes later, Judd said the Ford Fusion returned to the Dollar General, where the driver explained he was working for Uber when he gave Marrero a ride.

The Uber driver told deputies, "I brought the guy here to shop. I didn’t know anything was wrong until we started to leave, and the store employees were video recording me. I thought something was up here. Let me go and check it out."

Michael Marrero mugshot courtesy of the Polk County Sheriff's Office.

The Uber driver told deputies where he dropped Marrero off.

"This was not a hard crime to solve," Grady explained. "The Uber driver told us right where he dropped him off. We knocked on the door. Michael’s mother answered the door, looked at the deputy, and said, ‘Well, what did he do this time?’ You can’t make this stuff up."

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Judd added that Marrero was in the home wearing the same clothes he was wearing when he took the Uber ride to the Dollar General.

Marrero already had two convictions for petit theft at a store. Since this is his third arrest, Judd said it is a felony.

"He should’ve kept that in mind," Judd stated. "Now, he’s in the county jail. He didn’t have to have an Uber to get to the county jail, but when and if he gets out on bond, he’ll need an Uber to take him back home."

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