On Wednesday afternoon, April 8, 2026, Sheriff Waters stopped a theft in progress at a hardware store on Atlantic Boulevard after a foot chase and struggle.
Sheriff Waters was picking up an order at customer service when a store employee flagged him down.
A man was attempting to leave the store with roughly $500 in merchandise. Sheriff Waters and a retired Jacksonville Sheriff's Office (JSO) robbery detective chased the man. When the Sheriff tried to grab him by his sweatshirt, the man twisted away. The Sheriff pursued him to the edge of the parking lot, where he took him to the ground.
The man struggled to get away and resisted, but with the help of the retired detective, they were able to get him into handcuffs as shoppers cheered them on.
District 2 patrol officers responded quickly and took over the investigation. The suspect has been identified as Raymond Pena, Jr., 40, of Jacksonville. He is charged with theft and resisting. He also had two active warrants for theft.
“Just because I was elected sheriff doesn’t mean I’m no longer a policeman,” said Sheriff Waters, who recently cited a teenager for littering.
The Sheriff and retired detective were not injured in the scuffle. Sheriff Waters says he will always do what he can to protect the city.
To hear about this arrest directly from Sheriff Waters, please click on the following link:
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