Undershirt thief kicks out window of police cruiser

ST. PETERSBURG — A man whose initial crime was stealing a package of undershirts made far greater trouble for himself after resisting arrest and kicking out the window of a St. Petersburg Police Department cruiser.

Michael T. Mercurio, 25, is charged with felony retail theft, resisting arrest without violence, criminal mischief and battery of a law enforcement officer and is being held on $2,800 bond at Pinellas County Jail.

According to police, Mercurio walked out of a Winn-Dixie at 2020 34th St. N around 10 a.m. Friday without paying for three Hanes undershirts worth $12.30, actually putting one on as store security watched on video. Mercurio, who has two prior theft convictions, elevating the undershirt theft to a felony, attempted to pull away from officers outside the store and hit an officer, store security guard and a witness with glass when he destroyed the window of the cruiser.

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From Tampabay.com