Homeless man charged with shoplifting over $1000 in merchandise from Dick’s Sporting Goods and CVS

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Kevin Michael Palmgren, 39, was arrested on Thursday for allegedly stealing $1,128 in merchandise from Dick’s Sporting Goods; he has also been identified as the suspect in previous thefts from CVS and Target.

At about 9:42 a.m. on September 25, the store manager of Dick’s Sporting Goods (3964 Plaza Boulevard) reportedly saw Palmgren place merchandise in bags and then walk out without paying; the merchandise came to $1,128.95. The manager identified herself as Palmgren left the store and tried to stop him, but he allegedly kept walking away while she tried to take a bag full of merchandise from his hand. Palmgren allegedly pulled the items away from the manager, who called 911 as Palmgren left the property. A Gainesville Police Department (GPD) officer found him a block away, and he reportedly still had the stolen items, which were recovered and returned to the store.

At about 10:30 p.m. on June 16, an employee of the CVS at 1621 SW 13th Street reported that Palmgren placed several items in his backpack and tried to leave without paying for them. The employee tried to retrieve the stolen items, which resulted in a physical altercation in which both men fell to the ground. The employee recovered the items, valued at $41.84, from Palmgren’s backpack.

A witness who saw the altercation took a picture and gave it to the responding GPD officer, who recognized Palmgren from previous interactions.

At about 9:34 p.m. on July 13, Palmgren allegedly went to Target (3970 SW Archer Road), picked out a backpack and an overnight bag, and placed several items of women’s and men’s clothing in the bags. He also placed ball caps, bug spray, candy, and other food products in the bags before allegedly walking past all points of sale without paying. The Loss Prevention Officer stopped him, but he allegedly refused to return the merchandise or wait for an officer to arrive. The stolen items were reportedly valued at $752.26.

Palmgren, who is described as homeless in court documents, has been charged with grand theft and resisting detainment by a merchant in the incident at Dick’s Sporting Goods, and he has been charged with petit theft and resisting detainment by a merchant in the incident at CVS. A sworn complaint for grand theft has been filed in the incident at Target, but he has not been booked on that charge. He has an unspecified criminal history in Colorado, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, and he has one misdemeanor conviction (non-violent) in Florida. Judge Meshon Rawls set bail at $11,000.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.