Shoplifting Suspect Dislocated Shoulder of Beall's Security Officer, Deputies Say

A Palm Harbor man, who Pinellas County Sheriff's deputies described as a transient, is accused of dislocating the shoulder of a loss prevention officer at the Beall's department store in Oldsmar.

Deputies arrested Richard Scott Morgan, 44, of Palm Harbor, at 4:47 p.m. on June 23, 2013. They say Morgan stuffed two pairs of shorts and two shirts in his jeans and walked out of the Beall's located at 3140 Tampa Road. The incident was recorded by store surveillance cameras, according to an arrest affidavit.

The loss prevention officer confronted Morgan outside of the store and asked him to go back inside. Morgan went back in the store, but then walked back out.

The officer tried to handcuff Morgan outside the Beall's, but Morgan resisted and dislocated the officer's shoulder in the process. Morgan then ran off, according to the affidavit. A Beall's employee chased him and then caught up with him. Morgan was brought back to the store. After his arrest, Morgan told deputies he took the clothing to help out a woman who accompanied him into the store.

She was identified as Susan Jennifer Teller, 32, of Clearwater. Deputies also arrested Teller on one count of resisting a merchant and one count of petit theft. She was booked into the Pinellas County Jail and released after posting $400 bond.

Morgan was booked into the Pinellas County Jail on one felony count of petit theft and one count of resisting a merchant. He was released after posting $2,150 bond. Morgan was charged with a felony because he had four prior theft convictions, according to the affidavit.