POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Kenneth DeShawn Bailey, 47, was arrested Wednesday by Polk County deputies after being caught with $470 worth of stolen steaks and $107 of Gatorade from local stores, officials said.
Bailey was apprehended following a theft at the Winn-Dixie on Havendale Boulevard where he stole Gatorade. Deputies stopped the vehicle Bailey was in and discovered the stolen steaks from a nearby Publix store during a search.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office Organized Retail Theft Unit revealed Bailey has a history of theft across multiple counties, with active felony warrants from Rural King in Lakeland, Publix in Lake Wales, and additional warrants in Manatee, Marion, Hernando, and Hillsborough counties.
Bailey has a lengthy criminal record including four prior prison terms and a known pattern of retail theft throughout the region.
Currently held in Polk County Jail, Bailey may be transferred due to the numerous outstanding warrants across Florida.
Authorities have not provided details on the motivation behind the stolen items or the total losses incurred from Bailey’s alleged theft spree.
