A sheriff's office in Florida announced the arrest of a Washington, D.C.-based basketball coach and five teenage players after surveillance footage allegedly captured them shoplifting from a 7-Eleven store.
Arrest and Charges
The coach, identified as Malik Harvey, was taken into custody along with the minors, who are believed to be between 13 and 17 years old, while the investigation revealed that Harvey provided false information to deputies regarding the players' identities.
In addition to the theft charge, Harvey now faces a separate accusation of lying to law enforcement, an offense that can carry its own penalties under state law.
A mother of one of the youths cooperated with investigators, supplying documentation that helped authorities verify the minors' true identities and facilitated the arrests.
The case has reignited discussion about juvenile shoplifting incidents in convenience stores and the steps local agencies are taking to address such crimes.