A Texas man apparently was all smiles after he was arrested in connection with a thrift store robbery.
According to KWES, police arrested Shawn Paul Melonakos, 36, of Odessa, on Saturday after he was accused of trying to steal items from the Door of Hope Thrift Store.
"Investigation revealed that a male subject, later identified as Melonakos, took merchandise and exited the store without making any attempt to pay," Odessa police said in a news release. "When the complainant confronted Melonakos about the stolen merchandise, Melonakos picked up a large rock and threatened him with it."
The complainant then pulled out a gun and fired a round, police said. Melonakos fled, but the complainant and another man caught and detained him until police arrived, the news release said. Nobody was hurt in the incident, authorities said.
Melonakos had methamphetamine on him when officers arrested him, the news release said. He also gave police a fake name, but officers were able to identify him and found that he was wanted on a parole violation warrant, the release said. He was charged with robbery, methamphetamine possession, providing false identification and violating parole.
Melonakos' unusual mugshot, which featured a big, toothy smile, quickly sparked hundreds of comments and shares on social media.
"Well, ain't he proud of himself," quipped one commenter on KWES's Facebook page.
"Priceless," another Facebook user wrote.
About the Author
