Published: October 14, 2009 08:36 pm      

Floyd police looking to catch ‘Marlboro thief’

Man distracts clerk, then runs off with cigarettes

Floyd County Police Department detectives have dubbed him the “Marlboro Man.”

Detective Capt. Jeff Topping said the unknown suspect walked into Jacobi’s Food Mart along Ind. 64 at about 3 p.m. Sunday and asked for two cartons of Marlboro cigarettes. He then asked for another product. When the clerk turned around, he picked up the cartons and ran out of the store.

Police believe the same man did the exact same thing at Walgreens at Highlander Point at 8:17 a.m. the next morning.

The two cartons were worth $107 at each store.

“He’s done it twice, so he’ll probably do it again,” Topping said.

Police want to catch the suspect while he has still only committed shoplifting offenses.

“We’re worried it may escalate into something bigger, like a robbery,” Detective Joel White said.

White said he has learned of another New Albany store that was also victimized by the “Marlboro Man.”

The suspect’s image was caught on surveillance camera, and police are hoping people will come forward to identify the thief.

They are also using facial recognition software from the Jeffersonville Police Department to try to match his face with others in their database.

Anyone with information on the suspect or robberies should call the department at 812-948-5400.