Person goes fishing in Bass Pro Shops tank and flees with live tarpon, Florida cops say

A person entered a Bass Pro Shops in Florida, snatched a live tarpon from the store’s fish tank and left, deputies said.

Now authorities are looking for him.

A video shared by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office shows a male suspect carrying a large fish through the store with a net while bystanders move out of his way to make room.

“This kid just got it outta the small pond,” the caption of the video reads.

The live fish flops in the net as he walks out, with people recording the event.

The incident took place the evening of Dec. 20 at a Bass Pro Shops in Fort Myers, deputies said.

The suspect entered the store with a net and caught one of the fish swimming around in the store’s signature indoor pond, authorities said.

“LCSO is attempting to locate (a) retail theft suspect,” deputies shared on Facebook. “But not just your ‘normal’ retail theft. We guess you could say THIS one will o-fish-ially catch your eye.”

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is working with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office Animal Cruelty Task Force and detectives to find the person.

People online seemed divided over if it was a funny prank or a crime.

“He will get off,” one Facebook user commented. “His defense will be… ‘Save the Tarpon!’”

This story was originally published December 21, 2023 at 6:29 PM with the headline "Person goes fishing in Bass Pro Shops tank and flees with live tarpon, Florida cops say."