Laurel County, Ky. - Sheriff John Root is reporting that Sgt. Robbie Grimes along with Deputy Larry Parrott and Deputy Rick Cloyd arrested Samuel Owens age 40 of Bailey Hollow Road, Gray, Ky , on Thursday evening April 16, 2015 at approximately 6:08 P.M.
The arrest occurred after deputies conducted an investigation earlier in the afternoon where a male subject (around 2 P.M.) allegedly borrowed a cell phone from a female subject in Walmart's parking lot in southern Laurel County whom he did not know telling her that his vehicle was broken down and that he needed to call someone for help.
This male subject ran off with the female victims iPhone. Video surveillance showed the male subject running across the parking lot and removing his shirt and cap and hiding them under a parked vehicle apparently to change his appearance. Then the suspect entered Walmart store, and could not be located.
Later in the evening, at approximately 5:14 P.M. Walmart management contacted the Sheriff's office stating that a white male subject had been observed walking through their parking lot checking car doors.
When deputies arrived to investigate this complaint, Sgt. Grimes noted that this subject and the earlier subject who had taken the iPhone were one and the same.
Deputies determined that this subject was under the influence.
This subject admitted that he did take the phone from the earlier incident. The phone has not been located. This subject tried to show deputies where he hid the phone, but was so intoxicated he could not remember where he hid it.
Samuel Owens was charged with theft by unlawful taking and public intoxication – controlled substances and was lodged in the Laurel County Detention Center.
Photo attached is courtesy of the Laurel County Detention Center.
