Staff report

HAWTHORNE, Fla. – Christopher Allen Kirkland, 46, was arrested on Sunday after allegedly stealing over $400 in groceries from Hitchcock’s, including steak and crab legs; after being detained, he allegedly ran, was tracked down 47 minutes later by a K-9, and had three counterfeit driver’s licenses at the time of his arrest.

On December 15, an Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to Hitchcock’s in Hawthorne, where employees said a man they knew as “Chris” had loaded groceries worth over $400 into a cart and then left through an emergency exit without paying; the cart is valued at $200.

The deputy was familiar with Kirkland because he has a history of convictions for theft; Kirkland was reportedly found walking southbound on SE 226th Street near SE Hawthorne Road. The shopping cart was reportedly loaded with steaks, crab legs, canned goods, laundry detergent, beer, and other groceries.

After Kirkland was told that Hitchcock’s employees saw him stealing the groceries, he reportedly said he “paid for the items with an EBT card and cash,” but he reportedly had no receipt, and the groceries were not bagged.

After the deputy had spoken with Kirkland for a few minutes, Kirkland allegedly abandoned the groceries and ran into a wooded area. He was found by a K-9 team about 47 minutes later.

A search incident to arrest reportedly produced counterfeit driver’s licenses from Florida, Nevada, and Pennsylvania; all three of the licenses were in different names but showed Kirkland’s photograph. Kirkland reportedly also had a debit card with the name on the counterfeit Florida driver’s license. The name and date of birth used on that license and debit card belong to a man who lives in South Florida. Kirkland also reportedly had drug paraphernalia in his possession.

Post Miranda, Kirkland reportedly said he was sorry he fled but would not explain where he got the counterfeit driver’s licenses.

Kirkland has been charged with felony petit theft with two or more prior convictions, three counts of possession of fraudulent identification cards, possession of drug paraphernalia, and resisting an officer without violence. He has two felony convictions (none violent) and 11 misdemeanor convictions (none violent) and recently served 120 days in jail, followed by a year of probation, after pleading nolo contendere in five shoplifting cases. He is also facing a sworn complaint for petit theft. Judge Kristine Van Vorst set bail at $35,000.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.