All right. What's What's going on today, man? I >> took all my money and ran. Okay. And I called y to get the money back and I just want to turn the weed in, too, but he he ended up leaving. >> What started as a routine theft investigation quickly took a strange turn when it exposed one of the dumbest criminals ever. >> Are you all right? People typically don't come up to me with a baggie of weed like that and then just showing, are you good? >> Yeah, I'm good, bro. Around 4:06 p.m. on September 22nd, 2023, police received a 911 call from a 33-year-old Eric Thomas, reporting that his $10 had been stolen in Largo, Florida. But as officers made their way to his location, they had no idea what they were about to walk into. >> West surgery. Hey, what's up, man? >> What about, >> bro? follow. >> Bro, come on, bro. What's going on with you? I appreciate you not being Come on, man. Probably not anybody in custody, bro. This is money. The officer was surprised when a man walked up holding a bag of drugs. He wasn't just in possession. He was openly showing off something that could land him decades in prison. Whether it was poor judgment or something more concerning, the officer was about to find out. >> Are you all right? >> No. >> People typically don't come up to me with a baggie of weed like that and then just show them. Are you good? >> No, I'm good, bro. Cops ran off. >> What? What's running off? >> Cops came up then run then ran off and they told me to call the police. So, I called the police, turn myself in. >> Who Who did you talk to? I'll I'll take I'll get that. That's Do you real quick? Do you got any weapons on you? What's your name? >> Eric. >> Eric. Thomas. >> Thomas. >> See, you're the one that had $10 taken from you? >> Yeah. My sister. >> Turns out Eric just wanted his money back. And he'd do anything to get it. But when the officer searched him, things got stranger. He had marijuana in two bags of a white substance suspected to be cocaine. The officer detained him, wondering why anyone would risk years in prison over $10. When asked about it, Eric had plenty to say. >> All right, what's what's going on today, man? >> I took all my money and ran. >> Okay. >> And I called job to get the money back thing and I just want to turn the weed in, too, but he he end up leaving. >> Was it Was this like a like a deal going back kind of thing? >> Yeah, deal going back. >> Did Did he like >> turn the weed in? You feel me? >> Wait. Did Did he like hit Did he like take like rob you from it like? >> Yeah, he robbed me from it and ran off. >> Where did he Where did it happen from? >> He ran up the street, bro. >> No. No. Where did it happen? >> It happened in front of here. Then he ran up the street. >> In front of here? >> Yeah. Okay. On this side of >> turning myself in, bro. So, I ain't You feel me? Get in trouble. Trouble. We took the money for the weed and ran off and I called you on. He left. >> So, so do you know who this person was? >> No. >> How'd you get in contact with this person? >> He walked by and I was just selling the weeding myself. >> I What? What does the guy look like? Because the description that I got was you >> fat guy and he ran up the street. >> Except I don't think you're 250 but >> I had a black male, black shirt, black short or black pants about 250. What did the other guy look like? I just want to make sure the other >> black guy and he ran up the street. He was kind of fat. He was 250. He had black pants, black shirts. Black short, black pants, black shirts. >> Sorry about the wheels, bro. >> All right. >> You got you got the AC going. Can you feel it or is it not hitting you? >> You got my ideas? I do. >> I I have all I have all your stuff. >> What's up, my guy? >> What's up, man? >> Not much, man. Officer Morales, we'll read your rights. Okay. All right. So, you have the right to remain silent anything you say. Canon will be use against you in the court of law. You have the right to talk to a lawyer, have him or her present with you while you are being questioned. Uh, you can decide at any time to exercise these rights and answer any questions or make any statements. All right. >> Do you understand your right, sir? You do? >> Yeah. >> Okay. With those rights in mind, do you still wish to talk to me? >> No, I'm sorry. >> You don't want to talk to me? All right. So, hey, fair enough. >> And this wasn't his first runin with the law. Eric already had prior cases involving marijuana, cocaine, and battery, as well as a pending charge where officers found Ziploc baggies of marijuana on him at a court security checkpoint. Until now, he'd managed to avoid serious jail time, likely thinking this would be no different until officers took a closer look at the evidence. >> So, uh, >> we're still good. We're still good on that. So, so, so again, he walked up to you and said >> something along the lines of, "I'm turning myself in." He had all the weed in his hand. I was like, "Put it down here." I called them and they said that I should turn myself in for the week. That was before me even asking any questions. >> All right. All right. So, you're the one that called dispatch initially about uh somebody stole 10 bucks from you? >> Yeah. They took it and ran up the street and then when I started to catch him, he kept walking. >> They took what? The $10? >> Yeah. We got in an argument and then when it came up for we had it on. >> Okay. I'm just asking the as far as far as you you want to try to press charges on the victim or find him. >> Find him. No. >> Okay. You don't know who he is, I'm assuming? No. >> No. Okay. All right, man. Appreciate you being cool. I'll just figure do the vest and the possession. It's up to you. Aren't you getting off here? I'm just Oh, you're you're working. >> Can't make this stuff up, man. Very well. Very well. >> Barely. >> Yep. Uh THC. >> So at least now now it's a little the intent charges will be strong enough that >> Oh. >> I thought he was I thought he was the subject. I say you start transport. Mr. Thomas, you got a phone number on my guy? >> No. All right. Oh, but he called from a number, Danny. This >> is me being stupid. I asked him for his phone number. He said he ain't got one. But he called from a number. You got a phone number? >> I call that a clue. I'm not a detective. >> I'm still very shocked and confused. >> Right. >> Welcome to Largo, baby. >> What you did with my phone? >> Your phone's up here, sir? >> My IDs? >> Your IDs are all in your wallet? >> What's this right here in my face? >> What do you mean, sir? >> Behind the head. Oh, it's my body worn camera. >> You got a scale? >> Um, maybe. >> Is it asking for a weight? I don't. >> Uh, what's it asking for? >> The weight. >> Which one? >> The weight. >> With intent. Ask for a weight. >> Yeah. Possession of marijuana with intent for sale. There's one specific for marijuana. And one of the quote parentheses says, "Enter weight." After a short search, officers found 11 more baggies of marijuana totaling over 40 g along with two small baggies of white powder in his wallet that later tested positive for cocaine. >> Do you have property bags in there? Yeah. >> All right, Eric, are you ready? >> Just place your feet underneath the steps. Underneath the steps. >> Underneath and then underneath the steps. Yep. And then just stay there. He's got some changes that I got I got to grab, too. Not yet. Just stay right there, brother. Right there. Almost there. I'm going to I'm going to take these off, brother. I'm going to take this one off. Get that out of there. Can I put you to the front? >> Yeah, that's what we're doing. We're just trying to make We're trying not to get you with the cuff. >> Back up just a little bit. >> Spread your feet a little bit apart for me. >> He's got to double lock the handcuffs so it doesn't >> double locking the cuffs. >> If you If you'd like me not to, I can go ahead and let you uh sit like that. >> It's your choice. zombie. All right. See? Oh, wait a minute. Come back here. Back around. Sorry about that. >> You're good. I guess I should come back out. You take him out the front, please. You take out the front. Do what you going to do with the front, please. >> No, he did do what he was going to do. >> No, he going to take the whole lot of this and put him in the front. >> Oh, no. He can't do that. They have to They have to stay like that. I have a bell. >> Yeah, I know. I smell that. >> Yep. >> Hang on. Real quick. Real quick. Real quick. Real quick. >> Hang on. Step out. Step one on back out. Step right back out. >> Turn around. Spread your feet. >> Another came out. >> Oh, really? >> Yeah. >> That was just that one. >> He's been cool, man. >> Yeah. I could I could smell. Like I said, I was trying to get him just in real quick. Yeah, that's his property. >> Yep. >> Ultimately, Eric was charged with felony thirdderee possession of cocaine and misdemeanor first-degree possession of marijuana. He was booked into the Penllis County Jail in Florida, where his bond was set at $7,000. 2 months later, he pleaded guilty to both charges and was sentenced to 120 days in jail in order to pay $1,450 for statutory costs. Got a closet full of shirts that should be charged with fashion crimes? Head over to codbluecam.com and pick up a fresh tea, hoodie, or one of over a dozen apparel options.