A Gaylesville, Alabama man remained in the Polk County Jail on multiple charges after he was tased trying to flee Walmart employees, then police officers when he was alleged to have been shoplifting in Rockmart this past Friday, reports stated.

Derrick Wayne Thrift, 45, of 1830 County Road 15, Gaylesville, Alabama, was jailed on felony charges of theft by shoplifting, possession of methamphetamine and crossing state/county guard line with weapons, intoxicants, drugs without consent, along with a misdemeanor charge of obstructing law enforcement officers, after he was arrested at the Rockmart Walmart this past Friday, July 30.

According to reports, Rockmart Police officers were called out to Walmart on a shoplifting report to 911 and got there in time to find the suspect trying to walk away after being caught at the door with hundreds of dollars worth of merchandise.

Per the report, Thrift wouldn’t stop when the reporting officer tried to detain him and kept reaching into his left pocket. The officer pulled his Taser and continued after Thrift, who continued to reach into his left pocket, and while turned away from the officer was tased.

Even after that, the officer reported that Thrift still went for his left pocket and after finally being told to give up was taken into custody and placed in a patrol vehicle to be taken to the Polk County Jail.

While at the Walmart, officers heard from employees who said they spotted Thrift walking around the store with empty Walmart bags and filling them up, then was approached by a loss prevention employee in the grocery area about his attempted thefts. Employees asked for Thrift to have criminally trespass warnings put in place from the store and provided a list of the items that he dropped when he fled from the employee and left the store.

That list totaled up to $780.92 worth of merchandise.

After being checked out by Redmond EMS following complaints of having trouble breathing, Thrift was transported to the Polk County Jail. When he got there and was searched for booking, a Sheriffs Office corporal brought the reporting officer a bag of methamphetamine that was found in Thrift’s left pocket.

Police collected evidence – including the Taser prongs removed from Thrift – and talked to him before he was taken by jail staff into custody to ensure he wasn’t severely injured during his arrest. He did report an abrasion to his right elbow, but was otherwise fine.

Thrift remained in jail as of this report on a $7,500 bond.