Politics

‘Don’t give a rip’ Alabama Ag Commissioner candidate Dale Peterson arrested again for shoplifting

Jeff Poor Media Reporter
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In 2010, Dale Peterson portrayed himself, in a campaign video that went viral nationally, as a candidate for Alabama Agriculture Commissioner who would be tough on “thugs and criminals.” But after portraying himself as a folk hero, Peterson ended up in third place in the GOP primary.

Since then, it has been somewhat downhill for the former Republican candidate, who was arrested back in October for allegedly stealing beer from a Wal-Mart in Hoover, Ala. Peterson went on to claim that incident was a misunderstanding, arguing he “just had to pee” and was planning to pay for the beer after he had visited the store bathroom.

But Peterson’s run of misfortune hasn’t ended there.

In a story originally broken by the website Yellow Hammer Politics on Wednesday night it was revealed Peterson had been arrested once again for shoplifting, but this time at a Sam’s Wholesale Club adjacent to that same Wal-Mart he had been arrested at back in October.

“An employee at the Sam’s Club in Hoover confirmed to me this evening that Dale Peterson was arrested in their store today for attempting to steal…CASHEWS?!” Cliff Sims of Yellow Hammer Politics wrote. “Yes. Cashews. He was taken to the Hoover City Jail and the Hoover Police later confirmed to me that he was released on bond.”

The incident had occurred earlier on Wednesday and was confirmed to al.com by the Hoover, Ala. Police Department.

“Authorities said Peterson ate a can of cashew nuts, put the empty can back on the store shelf and walked out of the business without paying,” al.com’s Carol Robinson reported. “Because he walked out of the store with unpaid merchandise – in this instance police said it was in his stomach – his actions constitute theft.”

Peterson was taken to the local jail and booked for theft of property in the third degree. He was held on a $1,000 bond, but made bail later that evening.

(h/t Yellow Hammer Politics)

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