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| Gerald “Jalise” Cobbs / PCSO |
Polk County Retail Theft Suspect Accused of Stealing More Than $600 Worth of Body Wash
LAKELAND, Fla. — A 47-year-old man with an extensive criminal history is facing another felony theft charge after Polk County detectives say he was involved in the theft of more than $600 worth of body wash from a Lakeland Walgreens.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, its Organized Crime Unit filed an additional charge against Gerald “Jalise” Cobbs, who was already being held in the Polk County Jail on charges that include felony petit theft and use of an anti-shoplifting device.
The latest case stems from a retail theft reported on June 29, 2026, at the Walgreens on Lakeland Highlands Road.
Deputies say three suspects entered the store together. Investigators allege that while one person distracted a store clerk, the other two filled bags with numerous containers of body wash.
All three then allegedly left the store without paying. The stolen merchandise was valued at $644.76, according to PCSO.
Detectives with the sheriff’s office Organized Crime Unit reviewed surveillance video from the store and identified one of the suspects as Cobbs. According to PCSO, Cobbs is known to dress as a woman, and detectives recognized him due to his extensive history of prior arrests.
Investigators later learned that Cobbs had recently been arrested by the Lakeland Police Department on an active warrant and was already being held at the Polk County Jail.
As a result of the investigation, detectives added a charge of petit theft with prior convictions, a third-degree felony, to Cobbs' existing charges.
According to the sheriff’s office, Cobbs has 27 prior felony convictions and 17 misdemeanor convictions, with the majority involving petit theft or grand theft offenses. PCSO says he has been incarcerated eight times and has served a combined 11 years and one month in state prison across non-consecutive sentences. He was most recently released from prison in October 2025.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd criticized the suspect's repeated alleged thefts.
“This suspect has made a career out of stealing, and despite spending more than 11 years in prison, he continues to victimize businesses in our community. Our Organized Crime detectives recognized him almost immediately because they've dealt with him so many times before. If he would put as much effort into earning an honest living as he does into stealing, he wouldn't keep ending up in jail,” Judd said.
The investigation remains ongoing as detectives work to identify the two other people suspected of being involved in the theft.
Source: Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
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