In the early morning hours Friday, when most of Tipton County was sleeping, 24-year-old Davoris Rashon Polk was being personally escorted to jail by Sheriff Pancho Chumley.
“I don’t like thieves and it’s not good to be a thief, period; people that work for a living don’t like a thief… And we really don’t want a thief to get into our patrol car.”
Wearing a black and red shirt that said “street bullies,” Polk is accused of doing exactly that this weekend.
WATCH: Sheriff Pancho Chumley escorts Davoris Polk to the jail
Surveillance footage shows the suspect breaking a windshield in a deputy’s patrol car Sunday evening at approximately 11 p.m. and spending four hours dismantling a gun locker to steal a department-issued shotgun and AR-15.
The vandalized car was reported five hours later by a roofing contractor. The deputy, who lives near Covington’s court square, was off-duty and not home when the crime was committed.
“This is the first time I’ve seen this in my career,” Chumley told the media at 2:30 a.m. Friday as Polk was being booked into the jail.
The shotgun was found Monday, but the rifle remained missing all week. Patrols in the city by deputies increased and investigators worked overtime to find the missing firearm.
“My deputies have been working hard in a good team effort and a relentless pursuit has led them to the capture of the person responsible for breaking into my patrol car and stealing guns,” he said. “They’ve done a great, outstanding job and I can’t say enough for their hard work.
Chumley said he delivered on his promise to the public to make an arrest.
“He tried to take something that wasn’t his. We promised the people of Tipton County that we would come through and we have him in custody.”
The investigation is still ongoing and more arrests may be forthcoming.
“We’re chasing down some other leads and I’m not sure what’s going to come of the things we’ve uncovered,” said the sheriff. “But people can sleep a lot safer that area tonight.”
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