Rob Peter to pay your dealer?
August 21, 2015
A 19-year-old San Luis Obispo man stole a tip jar from a Paso Robles business in order to pay back his drug dealer, the suspect told police.
The approximately $27 that was in the tip jar were not recovered, according to the Paso Robles Police Department. But, officers did seize a small amount of heroin when they tracked down the suspect.
On Wednesday, police responded to a report of a theft at a business in the 800 block of 11th Street. The store clerk told officers that a white male adult stole the tip jar from the counter area of the store and then fled toward Spring Street.
Police did not succeed in finding the suspect during their initial search. About 15 minutes later, the clerk called police and said she saw the suspect in the area again.
The store owner then chased the suspect until losing him near the train station on Pine Street. Officers arrived again and found the suspect on the train loading platform.
Police identified the man as Joseph Jeffrey Mikkelsen and determined he stole the tip jar. Mikkelsen was on probation for grand theft in San Luis Obispo County, according to Paso Robles police.
In addition to finding heroin, officers also found needles in Mikkelsen’s possession. Police determined Mikkelsen was under the influence of a controlled substance.
Officers arrested Mikkelsen and booked him in San Luis Obispo County Jail on charges of shoplifting, violation of probation, possession of a controlled substance and being under the influence of a controlled substance.
A police department news release did not state whether the jar that contained the tips was recovered.
The comments below represent the opinion of the writer and do not represent the views or policies of CalCoastNews.com. Please address the Policies, events and arguments, not the person. Constructive debate is good; mockery, taunting, and name calling is not. Comment Guidelines