News and Investigations

The Polk County Sheriff's Office arrested an 18-year old man on Saturday, November 2nd, following an investigation of an attempted theft at a Mulberry business the day before.

"On October 31st, our suspect turned 18-years old. On November 1st, he went out and tried to steal THC products worth nearly a thousand dollars from a local store. Fortunately, a store employee and a bystander decided they weren't going to just let the birthday boy commit his crime freely." - Grady Judd, Sheriff

Despite wearing a mask and socks over his hands, the suspect was recognized as Zachary Coolidge, a regular customer of the Seven Star Store at 6940 Old Highway 37, in the Bradley Junction area of Mulberry. 

A PCSO detective located Coolidge and arrested him the following day.

The crime occurred at around 10:17 pm on Friday, November 1st. 

Coolidge walked behind the sales counter of the store and began gathering THC products and vape pens worth about $900. 

VIDEO OF THE CRIME CAN BE SEEN HERE ON THE PCSO YOUTUBE CHANNEL

A store employee approached Coolidge and removed most of the items from his grasp, and he attempted to flee. 

A bystander near the exit stopped Coolidge to keep him from getting away, but after the brief confrontation, Coolidge rushed out the door. 

The bystander tackled Coolidge in the parking lot, and the two men wrestled on the ground. Coolidge managed to get free, and run away.

Following his arrest, Coolidge was taken to the Polk County Jail and charged with: burglary of an occupied business, grand theft, wearing a mask during the commission of a crime, resisting, and violation of probation (possession of a harmful drug without prescription).

Coolidge told the detective that it was "impulsive and dumb for doing all this for some weed."