Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd publicly detailed the arrest of eight teenagers from Philadelphia who allegedly stole thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise from a Dick’s Sporting Goods location in Florida.
During a press briefing, Judd said the teens traveled from Philadelphia to Florida for a football event but diverted their Saturday morning to commit an organized retail theft. According to investigators, the group allegedly Ubered from their lodging directly to the store before splitting into two teams to carry out the theft.
“They came into the store in two groups and began to systemically steal product,” Judd said. “They stole, and they stole, and they stole. That’s exactly what they did.”
Sheriff Judd displayed a large board showing the items recovered. “This is everything they stole,” he said. “You can’t go any place, any time, that you’re not on a camera.”
The teens were arrested, taken to the county’s juvenile assessment center, and placed in custody. Judd added that their actions may have cost their team a championship game appearance.
The sheriff’s tough stance on crime—long praised by conservatives—was highlighted again as he emphasized accountability and swift action: “We were finishers. We arrested them.”
