LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) - A Little Rock man is under arrest for allegedly shoplifting at a local Target store.
An off duty Pulaski County Sheriff's deputy went inside the Target on N. University to use the restroom, and while inside he says he heard someone on the phone in the next stall say, "I got the drugs and sticks. I'll be there soon."
This caught the deputy's attention. The officer says he looked through the door and saw the suspect, Charles Hicks, 30, try to open a plastic package with pliers.
The deputy then left the bathroom and went to the customer service desk. He took off his jacket which was covering his sheriff's shirt, gun, and badge and gave his jacket to an employee. He asked the employee to call security.
The deputy went back into the bathroom and knocked on the stall door. The deputy says Hicks said, "What?" Then the deputy said, "Sheriff's Office. I need to talk to you."
The deputy says he could see Hicks place the item in his jacket through the door hinge. He says he again said, "Sheriffs' Office, come out of the stall." The deputy says Hicks came out of the stall and said, "What? What? I wasn't stealing anything."
The deputy says he told Hicks to turn around and calm down, but Hicks tried to run out of the restroom. At this point, the deputy says he grabbed Hicks' arm and began yelling, "Sheriff's Office, get on the ground" several times. The deputy says Hicks refused to get down and struggled with him.
The deputy says he was eventually able to get Hicks to the ground by the customer service desk and was helped by Target security. The deputy says Hicks started kicking both him and the security officer and continued to struggle as he was handcuffed.
Hicks is charged with robbery and resisting arrest. He also has an active misdemeanor warrant for FTA and three probation violation felony warrants. Hicks also had warrants from Sherwood and Benton.
(Source: Pulaski County Sheriff's Office.)