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Vienna Sausage, Body Wash And Shampoo Lead To Felony Charge
October 26, 2011
A Walnut Hill man is facing a felony charge for allegedly shoplifting $41 worth of Vienna sausage, shampoo and body wash from a Pensacola Dollar Tree.
Michael Allen Flowers, age 48 of Arthur Brown Road, was booked into the Escambia County Jail, charged with petit theft, third or subsequent offense. His bond was set at $5,000.
Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies caught Flowers running through the parking lot of a Dollar Tree on Davis Highway after the store reported a person matching his description had shoplifted several items.
A search of Flowers’ truck revealed multiple bottle of shampoo, body wash, 20 cans of Vienna sausage, and other merchandise belonging to Dollar Tree, according to an arrest report. Deputies recovered other items still with tags on them that did not belong to the Dollar Tree.
Flowers had previously been convicted of shoplifting in March 1999, larceny in November 2000, and larceny in November 2002.
Comments
25 Responses to “Vienna Sausage, Body Wash And Shampoo Lead To Felony Charge”
It seems to me that we all get nailed no matter which way you go. Yes throw him in jail, he had a choice to steal or not to steal. Maybe jail is where he wanted to be for a bed and three meals a day. Our taxes will pay for his “extended vacation” but we also pay in higher prices at the stores that loose millions of dollars every year to thieft.
But really!!! Feel sorry for him???? Choices have consequences regardless of whether you are homeless or not.
REGARDING:
“What was the felony ? Sounds like petty theft to me.”
Multiple convictions going back at least to 1995 for a multitude of crimes, some felonies, some petit theft, at least one indecent exposure.
It all adds up and Florida is less liberal toward repeat offenders than some here would wish. Some Floridians get tired of being preyed upon, so what would have been a misdemeanor becomes a felony after having been convicted of having done it for three times — and he passed that milestone back in 2002 if I‘m reading his record correctly.
It’s expensive to keep him alive in some institution but also expensive on his victims over the years. You might note the article mentioned he had other stolen goods in his truck from other places when he was caught this time.
David for protecting the people
REGARDING;
“He needs mental health help. Not prison.”
Does that apply to all thieves or just this particular thief? How do the rest of us know where they should go?
I’m not arguing, just wondering. A few years in a mental institution might do wonders for thieves.
David for perfect treatment
Homeless does not mean you don’t have any money or that you cannot have a vehicle..I am without my own home and I have a car and money for gas, Praise God..welcome to a new age of homeless…have you noticed who’s living in these week to week hotels…entire families..once middle class..praying for this guy that he gets the help he needs.
He needs mental health help. Not prison.
1 bottle of shampoo 1 bottle of body wash maybe 2 cans vennie weenies sound better than multiple items.That sounds more like a trade for whatever.
The guy wanted to have a full belly and be clean. What he did was wrong and illegal, but it is a shame he will probably spend time in prison for this, yet the Wall Street speculators and others who stole billions won’t be charged or prosecuted for anything. In fact most will get millions of dollars in bonuses this year.
Ok,
#1 They searched his TRUCK, so if he is homeless, how can he afford to buy GAS?
#2 If he was so hungry why not go to a church or shelter that would feed him.
He chose to steal the stuff so he should pay for his crime like anyone else.
I totally agree with Thinker…..Maybe we should make goody bags of these items and have them ready to pass out the window to the panhandlers on the street corners instead of money…….hmmmm.
Make me wonder if he’s homesless.
@Bert. He’d get plenty of Vienna Sausage in prison.
What was the felony ? Sounds like petty theft to me.Sausages are good …..but not that good .
REGARDING:
“The Dollar Tree makes a fortune on me ”
If I believed any business to be making an unreasonable profit off of me, I would stop buying there. If I go in Dollar Tree or buy from CITGO or BP or any other business, I do so willingly. (There are many places where I don’t shop, I just don’t complain about how much they charge those who choose to do so.)
It’s fine to pity a person so deluded as to think his best path through life involves stealing from others, just so we don’t agree with him.
David for honest effort and free
exchange of goods and services
Viennas are great, but I like potted meat on Ritz Crackers. I do not tell anyone though. JustSomeThoughts you made a good point. It is not like this joker was stealing malt liquor and rolling papers. I am curious what items were found in his vehicle? I would expect to see an exponential explosion of this sort of thing when you have .01 percent of Americans in geometric growth of wealth, and .99 in geomertic decay. All I can say is if you have a friend in need, help if you can. And Yes it is stealing and Yes it is wrong. period
I feel bad for this man. =(
Gosh…if they would not have arrested him…he would have cleaned up his act with the body wash…..as far as the vienna sausages…hes a man after my own heart…….supper and a bath…whats wrong with that ??
I know what he did isn’t right, but I have to wonder why he wanted those items. I get the feeling the vienna sausages remind him of a better time in life. All of us have a comfort food. Shampoo and body wash at least says he may be in dire straights, but is trying to feel good about himself. I am sad for him and expect to read more of these stories as times are very hard. I’ve noticed a place in town where the homeless are gone during the day, but gathering at night just to keep warm. This story will cause me to deliver blankets that are too warm for a heated home to the building. We have got to help people. The Dollar Tree makes a fortune on me and I’m sure they will be stepping up their security for the holiday season. They, too will survive on holiday items supplied to us by China so everyone should be happy.
Cut the man some slack. It’s a crime of passion.
Vienna sausages are the bomb!!!
Stealing, in no form or fashion, is right. Having said that, I feel a little sorry for this man as he obviously did not have the essentials needed to survive. Maybe he will find prison life a little easier than life on the outside. At least he won’t have to worry about where his next meal will come from.
Stealing, in no form or fashion, is right. Having said that, I do feel sorry for this man. He obviously was lacking the essentials needed to survive. He might find that he has a better life in prison where at least he doesn’t have to worry about where his next meal will come from.
There really is a WIENER THIEF!
Perhaps he should join the “Ocupy” movement. When enough join, he won’t have to steal food.
If you are going to get caught shoplifting, at least go for the Spam and not vienna sausages. At least it wasn’t potted meat, though….
This guy needs to try some “Prison Brand” shampoo
and body wash!
well, now this doesnt make any sense… if this guy is THAT hungry he should apply for government support like welfare or food stamps. after all, now that the drug testing to qualify is no longer necessary the lines should return to full length.