On February 3rd, 2023, Brook Haven police responded to a shoplifting call at the Total Wine and More store in Brook Haven, Georgia. An employee told police a white male opened a blackbox wine, drank it, and walked out. Officers quickly located the suspect nearby. >> Where you coming from? >> I was just going to the to the store, using the bathroom. That's it. >> You went to the store, use the bathroom. What store was that? >> Huh? >> What store? >> Uh, wine store and stuff like that. >> Okay. All right. Did you purchase anything in there? >> I've been purchasing there all all the time. >> Okay. >> I just use the bathroom because >> So, I'm going to ask you this. Did you go in there and I and drink some wine in there? Because they just call on you said that you that you're on video that you're you went inside and drunk some wine and walked out. We just need to know before I go there and look at the cameras. If the cameras say that shows that you did and you're saying no and you're lying to me, you're going to end up getting arrested. So, I need you to be honest with me. >> I mean, I I just [snorts] depression. Depression. >> Did you So, you went in there and drunk a drunk I I It's just depression. >> Okay. Did you go in there and drink some wine? >> Yeah, I I'll purchase it. >> Okay. How What kind of wine was it or how much was it you had? >> I mean, I just couple of dollars. >> Okay. How many How many How many did you have? >> Huh? >> How many bottles did you have? I >> I just purchased it. I just It's just depression. I'm mentally ill. >> Okay. What's your You have your ID with you? >> Yeah. >> Where you Where are you staying? >> I'm staying right here. And then somebody >> Are you homeless or are you staying at the hotel? >> No, I'm staying in the hotel >> here. >> Yeah. >> Okay. What room? >> Um 109. >> 109. So if I go ask them if you're sending 109, they're going to say yes. Is it registered to you? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Let me try. >> So I have somebody paying for it and stuff like that. I apologize. >> But it's registered to you. >> Yeah. I apologize about that. I was just just medication ran out on me. >> Medication ran out on me. >> Okay. >> And I I just had to uh use something else for medication. >> Okay. Let me just check your lines. Okay, >> I apologize. >> All right, just stand over there. Stand right there. Stand in front of it. >> That's fine. >> Stay right there. >> Yeah, I'm Yeah. >> You want me to go over there and get >> footage or whatever? He he said he he's willing to pay for he has been >> You want to pin him down right quick? >> Yeah. >> Then we can >> Hey, man. What's your name? Uh, Dennis. >> Dennis, do me a favor. Put your hands right here. Right in front of the hood. >> You arrested me. >> No. I got to I want to pat you down for your weapons or anything. >> No, no, no. I don't I don't have anything. I apologize. I It was just >> make you have no weapon. Like we're going to go >> Put your hands right here. >> About to go back over there. >> What? >> We're going to go back over there, but we're going to take you. >> You're not going to walk. >> Yeah, we I just going to per just make a person check and make sure. >> Put your hands right here. You don't have anything that's going to poke me, stab me, anything like that. No weapons on you. >> So you went over there. You said to use the bathroom, right? So where did you grab the wine bottle from? >> Huh? >> Where did you grab the wine bottle from? >> I I just run out of medication. >> No, listen to what I'm asking you, Dennis. Listen to me. Okay. >> Yeah. >> You went inside. You say you went to use the bathroom. >> Where did you grab the wine bottle that you say you >> I just took it from there? >> And you took it to the bathroom? >> Yeah. >> You drunk in the bathroom or what? Uh yeah, just because I run out of medication. >> Okay. I I understand. >> I take I take I take uh Xanax and volume. >> Okay. >> And when I run out, >> I have withdrawals and stuff like that. Real bad withdrawals. >> Okay. >> And I cannot help it sometimes. >> And you say you can purchase that. You have money on you to pay it. >> Yeah. I I'll I'll have I'll call somebody to pay for it. >> Oh, okay. Let's take you across. Let's see what it see if they're going to let you pay for it. Okay. Let's go around that side. >> We're going to go around. I'm going to give you right over there. Watch your back. >> Glad I have a seat belt. >> Go in there and put your seat belt on. Okay. >> Flip it in. >> I apologize. I just run out of medication. >> Okay. >> And that's that's that's why it happened. >> You have to put your seat belt on cuz you're not you're not handcuffs. You got to put on. All right. So, we're going to take you over there. Okay. across the street so you can we can talk to them, see if they can let you pay it. Okay. >> Okay. >> Going to be transporting one subject to >> from my location to total wine. Beginning mileage 15332. >> So you have money to pay for that wine right now. If they let you pay, >> I'll make a phone call and they'll pay over the phone. >> How are they going to pay with a phone? >> I mean, somebody will pay over the phone for me. >> How? >> Huh? How are they going to pair with the >> Yeah, they are. >> Okay. Well, you should have done this in the beginning. Okay. So, we're going to we're going to go over there and talk to them and tell them that. See what they say. Okay. >> Yeah. I mean, we just, you know, I just just I leave my ideas. I leave my cray card with them and stuff like that. It happens sometimes. I apologize about that. >> I mean, it just I I I just run out of medication and that that's why it happened. I should have stayed strong, but I I just couldn't. >> Come on, man. >> I I I do I really apologize. I am very sorry. I just ran out of Xanax and volume and I had to have it and I was >> You didn't have Xanax and volume. You had wine. >> I know. I know. But I just ran out ran out of medication and stuff. >> Okay. >> Sit in front of my truck. He's going to sign with you this officer. Okay. Well, I'll go talk to them and let them know that you you're willing to pay for the >> Yeah, I just like I just got to pay. >> Well, let let me go talk to them first. Okay. >> Hey, you want to stand with him right here in the last call? >> The officer spoke with store employees who gave him a slightly different side of the story. >> How you doing? >> Who called? coming up in a minute. >> This dude been coming in here doing that. We just haven't been able to catch him. >> Yeah. >> And he'll go grab something off the shelf, go sit in the bathroom, drink it, and put it in the trash can, and then walk out. >> How much was that one? >> Maybe five bucks. He drunk the whole thing. >> Oh, yeah. >> So, he took him a shot. >> Uh 431 after tax. >> How you doing today? How you doing, man? >> Yeah. So, this >> I was definitely right on the crow when I came out and and I saw him going >> work quick, man. I was like, damn, he's walking right across. Yeah. So, we've been dealing with him for about the last two weeks with doing the same stuff. This is the first day though that I've been able to actually stand there when he walks in and verify nothing was in the bathroom and then verify when he came out that it was stolen. So, >> it's a $5 bottle box of wine that he's taken. But every time he comes in, you know, he's drinking it and then he's going right back across the street. >> So, >> he's willing to pay. Are you guys willing to take the opportunity to pay it and give it and you want to issue him a criminal trespass warning or are you guys not wanting him to pay it and just go to jail? >> See, I I told him that I with you and what you wanted to happen by other man wants to do. Hey Natasha. Hey, do you want him just to pay for this wine and get no trespassing or do you want him to uh be charged? >> Okay, she said charge him. >> Okay, sounds good. You got uh your ID with you that we put you down and you do you want to show him a criminal trespass warrant so he doesn't come back on the property? >> Okay, >> so you stood out there or you saw him walk in I guess. Tell me what happened. So, uh, he walked in. My front end supervisor, Paul, said, "Hey, that guy's back in the store." So, I went directly back to the bathroom, walked into the stall. I waited for him to walk in. He walked in and said, "Uh, I really need to use the bathroom." So, I said, "Okay." He went in there, shut it. I just came stood right outside the door. Waited for 35 minutes until he came out. Checked on a couple times just to see if it was live cuz I honestly didn't know what was going on, if he was on something. Um, and then the last time I went in, he said, "I'll be right out." >> Um, he walked out. I walked right in, looked in the trash can, and saw the empty box there, and then immediately called y'all. >> So, you didn't see him walk in there with the box? >> I didn't see him walk in with the box. No. Um, but we could probably see on the shelf that one was taken off as far as when we >> What about the camera shot him get grabbing the wine? >> Um, no, cuz he he confiscates it in his jacket. So, >> yeah. But he has to reach for it to confiscate it. Right. Right. >> Is there cameras on that aisle, man? >> No. So, it's on this aisle right here. We don't have any cameras that cover that one specific area. We don't have them that go up and down the aisle. We just have them in the middle kind of >> on the end. So I don't have that. >> Got so you they told you he got here, you went to the bathroom, wait for and waited for him to walk in, right? >> You saw what stall he went into and you walked out, waited for him, checked on him. He was that stall. After 35 minutes, he came out. You walked right back into the bathroom, checked the trash can. >> The trash can. It was sitting I mean the we took the trash out this morning. So, it's completely empty trash can with just my paper that I put in there and then has a black box right on top of that. >> Okay. So, it's just one box, one one trash can in there that all the trash goes into. >> Yes, sir. >> Yeah. And I never lost sight. I was standing right there on the video the entire time where nobody else [snorts] went in the bathroom. >> Gotcha. So, is it is that the brand Blackbox? >> Yes, sir. >> Can you print me out a receipt? >> Sure. I I was just going through withdrawals. Somebody put me in a programh for um alcoholism and stuff like that. >> Mhm. >> And I Yeah. They kept me without money and I have monies and stuff like that. I just gave it to somebody else >> so they keep it for me >> so I don't spend it on booze and stuff like that. >> On booze. Okay, I got you. >> Yeah. I mean, it it's just it it's just what I apologize. I really do. >> Okay. >> I didn't mean to do it. >> I got you. I understand. >> I mean, it just happens sometimes. And I was going through bad withdrawal shakes and stuff like that. >> Got you. >> And I just couldn't handle it. >> I got you. I understand. >> You know. >> Mhm. >> So, please forgive me. Don't make an arrest. >> Well, that's not up to me. I got to We got to find out what they want to do and we'll take it from there. Okay. >> Yeah. just to tell them I'm I'm sorry. >> I mean, it's it's nothing. >> I told you, >> you know, >> what's up? >> Tell them I'm I'm sorry. Please, >> I'm sorry. I just >> All right. Listen, unfortunately, we're going to have to take you, okay? So, put your hands behind your back. All right, turn around. >> There's no way to >> Turn turn around. >> Why? >> Cuz they want to press charges. So, we can't uh All right. We can't go against that. Okay. >> Why Why they can't apologize for them? >> It doesn't work like that, Dennis. Unfortunately, it doesn't work like that. Okay. >> I mean, there is any way to get out of it. >> No, man. Okay. You can't you can't uh can't do what you did. >> You know, >> I made a mistake. I'm sorry. >> I got you. Do me a favor. Turn. Just stand right here and you can show one in custody. >> I mean, it's it was a stupidity on my part. Yep. >> Completely on my part. >> Okay. >> Can Can you leave? Can you Can you let me go, please? >> No. Have a seat. >> Have a seat, please, sir. Have a seat. >> I understand. I understand. But like I I have I have I have to have medication. >> I understand. Sit down and we're going to figure that out. Okay. Have a seat. >> Can we have medication for >> Can I Can I please talk to him? >> No, there's no talking. So, sit down. Have a seat. Okay. Negative. >> Get in the car. >> 83. I'm clear. Can you come back? >> Is there any way to get out of it? No way. >> There's no way. Okay. >> Can you ask the name of the registered owner, please? >> I apologize. I made mistake. >> Okay. >> No way. >> Well, that is going to that mistake is going to land you in jail. Okay. >> They want to press charges against you. >> There is no way around it. >> Nope. I asked them if you could pay for it. They said no, they want to press charges. So, >> so you're going to go to jail for uh shoplifting. Okay. >> I mean, is it serious? >> Is it what is what serious? >> Is it serious shoplifting? >> No, you're going to go to local a local charge. City charge. >> And then what? >> You got to bond out from jail. >> I mean, if you don't bond out, >> you'll bond out. I mean, if you want to bond out, you have to serve time until uh it's your your charge is your time is served for the charge. Okay. >> Give me a second. >> I mean, is there any way to like >> take apology to them and stuff? >> Yeah, you can apologize when they come out, but you're still going to jail. >> Dennis is a manager. Okay. So, he got >> I really true apologize. I was just ran out of medication and uh I just like I was purchasing uh products from you and I was going through rehab for for that and somebody kept me out of my monies. I really truly apologize. >> Okay. So, he's got something to tell you. Just listen up. Okay. >> Yeah. So, you're not welcome back in the store. Um if you are it'll be trespassing and we're going to call the police if >> I understand but it just happened. I I didn't mean to. >> So, you understand you're not allowed to come back onto this store. If you come back, they're going to they're going to call the police. You're going to get arrested for criminal trespass. I've been in a store for the last two weeks though doing the same thing. >> So don't >> I was purchasing the wines from you. >> Okay. All right. >> All right. >> He was charged with shoplifting and taken to the Dub County Jail. >> I told him I couldn't hear anything. >> All right, bro. We're good. Appreciate it. I'm going to take I'm just hit him up with the bathroom. Seeita fast as [ __ ]