A Valrico man was taken into custody after an alleged retail theft at a Walmart in Mulberry, which ended in a confrontation with a Polk County Sheriff's Office deputy. The incident reportedly occurred at around 5:19 pm on Monday.
According to store security, the suspect, identified as 58-year old Homero Saenz, was spotted concealing items under his shirt and attempting to exit the store with a cart of unpaid merchandise. When confronted, Saenz refused to stop and was soon intercepted by a deputy who had quickly arrived on the scene. The PCSO deputy ordered Saenz to stop, but again, Saenz refused to do so, choosing rather to physically resist the deputy's attempts to apprehend him.
The situation escalated when an attempt to use a Taser on Saenz proved ineffective, leading to a scuffle where Saenz grabbed at the Taser. As reported by the Polk County Sheriff's Office, "Saenz then grabbed the Taser and attempted to take it from the deputy, but the deputy managed to retain the device and successfully discharged an incapacitating shock to Saenz." This intervention eventually allowed the deputy to secure Saenz in handcuffs without sustaining any injuries.
The deputy was able to recover merchandise valued at $237.39, which Saenz had allegedly tried to steal. This included goods from underneath a girdle-like band Saenz was wearing. Following the arrest, Saenz faced multiple charges, including felony petit theft and battery on a law enforcement officer. Saenz's criminal history, which involves convictions for grand theft and burglary, among others, was noted as part of the account provided by the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
Homero Saenz was transported to the Sheriff's Processing Center, where he has been charged with a series of offenses ranging from attempted escape to the unlawful possession of a shopping cart. These allegations add to Saenz's record of past convictions that include motor vehicle theft and possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, indicative of an on-going struggle with the law.
