PALM COAST, FL – The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of John Michael Wakefield, 43, for the theft of a Walmart cash register on December 10, 2023.
Wakefield, identified through joint efforts by the Major Case Unit, Real Time Crime Center (RTCC), and social media analysis, is a convicted felon recently released from prison.
During the incident, Wakefield shoved an employee while fleeing the store, initially leading to an investigation as a commercial robbery.
He was seen wearing a distinct red “Key West” T-shirt and escaping in a gray Hyundai SUV. Facial recognition technology helped identify Wakefield, who was later apprehended in Ocoee, by the Florida Highway Patrol.
Found in possession of the shirt worn during the theft, methamphetamines, a ski mask, and a pellet gun, Wakefield now faces charges of Unarmed Burglary and Grand Theft.