A reported Target theft turned into a chaotic foot chase through traffic and an apartment complex after a suspect allegedly decided that going to jail was worth running from police.
According to the Moore Police Department, officers were dispatched to a Target on September 6 for a reported larceny in progress. Asset Protection had found a group believed to have stolen merchandise from a Target in Norman, Oklahoma, and officers soon located several people connected to the incident.
The merchandise turned out to be Magic: The Gathering cards. In body-worn camera footage shared by police, an officer searches one suspect and discovers a box of the cards tucked into his pant leg.
“Man, come on… that’s what you had on you?” the officer says after finding the cards.
One Suspect Hears His Fate and Takes Off
Officers located three other suspects nearby inside a silver Nissan. At one point, an officer tells one of the suspects, “Hey, you’re not free to go. You’re going to go to jail.”
That was enough information for the man to make a run for it.
The suspect takes off on foot, leading the deputy on a marathon across SW 19th Street, coming dangerously close to being struck by a passing vehicle before continuing into the WinCo parking lot. Officers pursue him as he runs through the area and eventually climbs over a fence into the 35 West Apartments.
The Chase Ends
Police said an apartment maintenance worker helped officers locate him on the third floor. The suspect was eventually taken into custody after the pursuit, although the decision to run had added an entire foot chase to what started as an alleged retail theft.
When officers finally caught up with him, the suspect said, “I’m tired.”
“Well, now you’re going to go to jail, tired,” the officer replied.
All Over a Box of Trading Cards
The Moore Police Department said all four individuals were taken into custody on outstanding warrants for alleged organized retail crime and obstruction. No details regarding their identities were released.
The footage caught the eye of many people, with commenters joking about the suspect’s decision to turn a theft investigation into something much worse.
One commenter wrote, “My favorite comment when they come in for evading on foot… You just came to jail tired.”
Another praised the officer’s effort, writing, “Man, give that officer a raise. He ran a marathon to get that guy.”
The Moore Police Department summed up the incident with its own joke: “Turns out this Magic deck had one thing missing: a ‘Get Out of Jail Free’ card.”