Jacob Thompson, 23, is accused of stealing a car at a Pilot gas station in Polk County, Florida. According to deputies, Thompson had just got done dropping off a job application at the business when he stole the car. (Mug shot: Polk County Jail; Gas station image: Google Maps)
This probably isn’t the best way to make a first impression with a prospective employer.
A 23-year-old Florida man was arrested Friday when he allegedly stole a car at a gas station after his job interview to work there was canceled, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said.
According to a probable cause arrest affidavit, Jacob Thompson was supposed to have a job interview at 4:30 p.m. at the Pilot gas station in Bartow. A clerk took his job application but told Thompson that no one was available to complete the interview so he’d have to come back Monday. The clerk later told deputies he wasn’t sure how Thompson got to the gas station.
Meanwhile, a man from West Palm Beach who was traveling to a weekend getaway stopped to get some snacks. He bought some chocolate and returned to his 2022 Cadillac XT4 and placed the chocolate inside, but remembered he wanted to buy some lottery tickets. So he turned the car on and put the chocolate inside and went back into the store thinking he had locked it.
With his interview on pause, Thompson allegedly decided to take advantage of a different — and illegal — opportunity. When the victim returned to his car, he saw a man later identified as Thompson inside.
The victim got in front of the vehicle and screamed at Thompson to get out of the car. Instead, Thompson drove away, narrowly missing the victim, the affidavit said.
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Polk County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene and learned the vehicle was equipped with OnStar. OnStar told deputies the vehicle was driving north on U.S. 27 in the northeast part of the county. Deputies located the vehicle and tried to conduct a traffic stop, but Thompson sped away, the affidavit said. Thompson got onto Interstate 4 where speeds reached up to 100 mph, investigators said.
OnStar advised it was going to shut the engine down. Not long after, Thompson lost control of the vehicle, hit a guardrail and flipped over. Thompson got out and ran away but was arrested a short time later after a brief struggle, the affidavit said.
Deputies found a gun in the car that did not belong to the car’s owner.
Thompson, who was initially identified from his job application, faces a slew of charges, including grand theft of a motor vehicle, fleeing and eluding and resisting arrest. He also was on probation, deputies said.
Instead of going to the job interview on Monday, Thompson sat at the Polk County Jail where he is still being held without bond.
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