Lowe’s shoplifter gets away in a ‘gold Lexus sedan,’ cops say. They caught him in jail

A 40-year-old Bradenton man was booked into the Manatee County jail June 28 on felony grand theft charges after deputies say he stole merchandise at Lowe’s and drove away in a gold Lexus sedan.

Gary Rister was already in the Manatee County jail on unrelated charges. It was his mug shot from his prior arrest that helped loss prevention officers at Lowe’s identify him as the thief, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies say Rister went to Lowe’s on 14th Street West on June 17 and walked away with a Bosch laser level valued at $549 without paying. The loss prevention officer attempted to stop Rister, who then assaulted the officer with the very merchandise he was stealing, according to the arrest report.

A review of the video surveillance cameras show Rister getting into a gold Lexus sedan and driving away.

The loss prevention officer was looking through recent arrest mug shots when he identified Rister as the suspect., the report states. A visit to Rister’s Facebook page helped verify his identity when the loss prevention officer spotted a tattoo on the suspect’s inner forearm that he recognized during the struggle with Rister, the sheriff’s office said.

While being interviewed at the jail by a deputy, Rister denied any involvement in the crime, telling the deputy that he has never even been to that particular Lowe’s.

The deputy notes Rister’s likeness in the video, the tattoo that was shown in the video and his, “unique balding pattern on the front of his hairline,” as all features that led to Rister’s identification and subsequent charges.

Rister remains in jail on a bond hold.