CLEARWATER - A man's attempt at a dine-and-dash failed miserably Wednesday morning when he left his jail mug shot in the Clearwater Beach restaurant where he ditched his bill.
John W. Jeffers, 33, is facing a felony theft charge after he ran up a $12.94 bill at the Waffle House, 521 S Gulfview Blvd., then left without paying, Clearwater police reported.
However, Jeffers left behind an information sheet from the Pinellas County Jail, which had his name and mug shot on it, arrest reports state.
He had been arrested Aug. 11 on another felony theft charge, though prosecutors decided last Thursday not to pursue the case. Jeffers was released from jail that day and apparently kept his paperwork with him.
He came into the Waffle House on Wednesday morning and ordered dinner, police reported, then left about 4:30 a.m. without paying. Police found him about a half-hour later and arrested him.
He was being held at the Pinellas County Jail on Wednesday evening in lieu of $5,000 bail.
Jeffers, who police reports say is homeless, has a history of theft in the Tampa Bay area.
He has been arrested 17 times since 2001. Fifteen of those arrests are for theft, shoplifting or failing to pay a cab fare, arrest records show.
He spent about four months in jail earlier this year after pleading no contest to another theft charge, records show.
