Florida cops went to a house to arrest a suspect. Then they saw a sign in the window

Madeleine Marr
·2 min read
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A Central Florida man wanted on numerous charges thought up a creative way he could evade arrest over the weekend, but was unsuccessful, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

The agency says in a Facebook news release that last Saturday around 2:45 p.m., deputies, on a tip, went to the Lakeland home of someone they had been seeking in connection with a series of alleged crimes.

The 41-year-old suspect was wanted on charges including aggravated battery, false imprisonment and tampering.

When they arrived outside his house, about an hour south of Orlando, they noticed a large whiteboard on the window ledge. In blue ink, the message gave the man’s name, followed with: “does NOT live here!!”

In the picture accompanying the FB post, the word “not” was underlined for emphasis.

The Polk County sheriff says a Florida man who was wanted on charges attempted to evade capture by putting up a sign outside his house that read he ‘does NOT live’ there
The Polk County sheriff says a Florida man who was wanted on charges attempted to evade capture by putting up a sign outside his house that read he ‘does NOT live’ there

“One of the worst things about being a cop is you always have to be open to the possibility that people are going to lie to you,” said the PCSO post. “Gee … a dry-erase board never lied to us before —should we believe it?”

A witness leaving the home was asked about the the suspect’s whereabouts, and after being pressed, eventually gave up the goods — that he was inside.

Deputies surrounded the house and began calling out via a loud speaker. This went on for about an hour, with no response. Eventually, the sherifff’s office says “surrender smoke” was dispensed and four people filed out, excluding the suspect.

A second helping of a noxious substance was sent in, but, still, no success.

Eventually, with the help of K-9 Dexter, the man was discovered hiding in a chest of drawers and arrested.

The four folks who weren’t cooperating with the investigation also got arrested and charged with resisting and “an all-expense paid trip to Grady Judd’s Bed & Breakfast,” the nickname for the county lockup.

The post concluded with such comical hashtags as #ItsGettingSoYouCantEvenTrustADryEraseBoardAnymore, #ComeForOneLeaveWithFive, #JailbirdsOfAFeatherGoToJailTogether and #WeAllHaveJunkDrawersButWhoAmongUsKeepsFelonsInTheirDrawers.