Police: Rotisserie Chicken Theft was ‘Drunken Mistake’

A Tarpon Springs man was arrested and charged with retail theft after leaving a Sweetbay Supermarket with a rotisserie chicken May 24, according to Largo Police.

Alexander Robert Quintero, 22, of Tarpon Springs, went into the grocery store at 2460 East Bay Dr. and walked past all the registers as he took a $7.49 rotisserie chicken without paying for it, according to investigators.

Sweetbay employees were not able to stop Quintero at that time. However, he came back later that night, around 8 p.m., to return a stick of deodorant.

Two store employees who witnessed him take the chicken earlier were there when he came back, according to police.

Quintero admitted to taking the chicken, saying it was a drunken mistake, according to arrest records.

When he was under arrest, investigators discovered a handcuff key disguised as part of a silver bracelet Quintero was wearing. The key was found after Quintero was in custody for several minutes, according to police. He admitted it was his key that he used to detain a friend that “gets crazy sometimes,” according to police.

He was arrested and charged with retail theft and unlawful possession of a concealed handcuff key. He is in jail awaiting trial on $5,150 bond.

Related coverage:

• Largo Jail Bookings: May 20-26

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