Saturday evening just after 8pm Conroe P.D. officers were dispatched to Cavender’s Boot City store at 2557 N. IH-45 in Conroe in reference to a theft in progress. Information received was that a person in the store was “open carrying” a pistol in a holster. Cavender’s employees observed the man select a $349.00 pair of boots and enter the women’s dressing room. A short time later they observed the man exiting the dressing room with the new boots on his feet. Cavender’s management confronted the suspect after he passed the cash registers and was about to exit the store. As Cavender’s employees were attempting to retrieve their boots from the suspect, the suspect reportedly identified himself to them as a Texas DPS Trooper to explain why he was carrying the pistol. As the suspect exited the store he was immediately disarmed and detained by responding officers. An investigation was conducted, which revealed the suspect did not possess a “License to Carry a Handgun”, the suspect was not a DPS Trooper, and had committed a theft from the establishment. The suspect’s loaded 9mm handgun was seized, as was a pair of wire cutters found in his pocket and believed to have been used to cut the security devices off of the boots. The suspect was arrested and charged with Unlawful Carrying of a Handgun, Theft, and Impersonating a Public Servant.
